I grew up in this room filled with musical instruments, but most importantly, I had a family who encouraged me to invest in my own imagination, and so things I created, things I built were good things to be building just because I was making them, and I think that's such an important idea.

In the quote, "I grew up in this room filled with musical instruments, but most importantly, I had a family who encouraged me to invest in my own imagination, and so things I created, things I built were good things to be building just because I was making them, and I think that's such an important idea," Jacob Collier reflects on how his upbringing shaped his creative journey. He mentions growing up surrounded by musical instruments, which likely provided a rich environment for artistic exploration. However, he emphasizes that the true influence on his development was the encouragement he received from his family to invest in his own imagination, suggesting that the freedom to explore and create without judgment was key to his creative process.

Collier underscores that the things he created, whether music or other forms of expression, were valuable not because of their external recognition or practical utility but because he was making them from his own imagination. This highlights the importance of intrinsic motivation in the creative process. The idea that creating for the sake of creation itself is valuable—simply because it comes from the act of making—is central to Collier's perspective on art and creativity.

The quote also speaks to the nurturing environment provided by his family, which allowed him to freely explore his creativity without pressure or external expectations. By supporting his exploration of imagination, his family fostered a space where he felt safe to experiment, fail, and succeed in his creative endeavors. This environment, where the process of creating was valued over the final product, is something Collier identifies as a crucial element of his artistic growth.

The origin of this quote lies in Collier's personal experiences growing up in a musical and supportive household, which significantly influenced his career as a musician and composer. Known for his innovative and multi-instrumental approach to music, Collier credits his creative freedom and the encouragement to cultivate his imagination as key factors that shaped his unique musical style. This philosophy of valuing creativity for its own sake rather than for external validation continues to guide his artistic process today.