Stay open to the singer next to you.

principle — attributed to Mark Johnson

Johnson's example of staying open to serendipity is the Olivia Ruff story. He went to Hawaii to record John Cruz's distinctive voice on Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For. A girl sitting next to them came to hang out and started singing the chorus. Johnson asked Cruz to stop singing so the team could focus on her. Olivia Ruff has one of the most beautiful voices in the world. She sings the first lead vocal before Cruz comes in. The principle is operational. Plans should not lock out the room. The musician who came to be recorded was not the only musician in the room, and the producer's job is to notice when the actual best singer is the unscheduled one. The discipline generalizes across creative work.

For producers, directors, and creative leaders working in environments where unexpected talent can surface mid-session. The principle is most useful as a corrective when production planning has become rigid enough to miss the room.

serendipity, olivia-ruff, improvisation, openness