Worklife with Adam Grant ReThinking: Permission to play with Jacob Collier
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Oct 28, 2025 
Jacob Collier, a Grammy-winning musician and innovative educator, joins Adam Grant for a lively discussion. He shares the origins of his audience choir concept and the joy of communal singing. Collier explains his unique approach to handling hecklers, emphasizing safety and inclusive culture. He highlights the importance of play in adulthood, linking it to collective musical experiences. The conversation dives into harmony, the emotional power of music, and why reimagining familiar songs fosters connection. Joy, for Collier, is an act of defiance that unites people.
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Everyone Has Musical Capacity
- Jacob Collier says people are naturally musical and only need permission to participate.
- Music connects directly to feeling and is remembered by how it makes people feel.
Permission To Wiggle
- Jacob prefers to create a sense of 'wiggle' that lets people move and feel alive.
- He believes music taps innate emotional channels rather than imposing specific feelings.
Mass Singing As Cultural Memory
- Mass singing events reveal music as a cultural memory that links generations.
- Collective singing uncovers an already-present human impulse rather than creating it.