On Being with Krista Tippett Justin Vernon — Being Bon Iver
121 snips
Apr 16, 2025 Justin Vernon, the frontman of Bon Iver, shares his journey from heartbreak to healing through music. He reflects on navigating fame and the pressures of the industry while emphasizing self-care and reevaluating priorities. Vernon discusses his spiritual evolution and the mystique of the number 22, exploring how it shapes his understanding of life. He also delves into the duality of time and emotion, illustrating how past experiences influence creativity. With a new album, SABLE/fABLE, he captures the essence of personal growth and artistic expression.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Childhood Spiritual Roots
- Justin Vernon grew up attending a Lutheran church with his mother as the organist but stopped going as a family around age 12 or 13 due to questions and disagreements.
- This early spiritual background influenced his lifelong fascination with mysticism and music's emotional power.
Isolation Spurs Creativity
- After contracting mononucleosis, Justin returned to a frozen hunting cabin in Wisconsin, where he created the album for Emma Forever Ago.
- He embraced the solitude and cold winters as essential to the album's creation and his emotional journey.
Fame's Discomfort And Defense
- Fame and success were deeply uncomfortable and disorienting to Justin Vernon, coming from a small Wisconsin town with limited examples of celebrity.
- He coped by keeping his Grammy behind the toilet as a form of ironic defense.