The Korn guitarist highlights the challenges faced by new generations of artists in an industry saturated with talent.
An excess of talent in a saturated music scene
In a world where technology makes it easy for everyone to share their music, Korn guitarist Brian “Head” Welch believes that this accessibility also has a downside. During an interview with the podcast Everblackhe noted that the glut of talented musicians makes it harder than ever for young artists to stand out and build lasting careers.
“It’s crazy, really crazy,” he confided. “These kids have different brains than ours… There are kids who have voices like Mariah Carey or Whitney Houston, and no one will ever know.”
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The double edge of the digital age
Welch says the problem isn't a lack of opportunities, but too many exceptional talents competing.
“Their generation is so connected, and on a massive scale, in a remarkable way. There are too many… Do you see shows like The Voice or American Idol? There are so many singers, and they are all so good, that sometimes we don’t listen to them, because there are too many.”
The rise of digital platforms, although it has democratized access to music, has made the breakthrough process much more competitive. Now, raw talent is no longer enough: you also have to navigate a noisy and saturated digital landscape.
A different definition of success
Despite this observation, Welch offers a refreshing take on what it means to succeed in music. For him, not everyone needs to achieve global fame for their talent to have value.
“It’s like an overflow of talent. I think you have to know what you want to do with it, because it's not guaranteed that you'll become rich and famous from it. Maybe you'll do something with it for your local community, for your church, for your family. I don’t know, but you can still use your gift, even if not on a large scale.”
The future of Korn
As Korn continues to influence generations of musicians, the band itself is no slouch. Brian “Head” Welch confirmed that Korn was working on new music, but that their next album would not see the light of day until late 2025, or even early 2026, according to the latest estimates.
