Don't Stop Creating
Through the Creative Door with Kirsty AKA sgt hulka
Some songs arrive in an afternoon.
Others take months.
When I sat down with my dear friend Kirsty, we talked about songwriting, creativity and the quiet discipline of returning to an idea over and over again until it finally reveals what it wants to become.
What struck me most wasn't her incredible attention to detail (though i have seen it many times in band practice when singing bvs in sgt hulka).
It was her patience.
In a world that constantly tells us to produce more, create faster and move on to the next thing, Kirsty's creative process is a reminder that some of the best work simply can't be rushed.
Creativity begins with making space
When I asked Kirsty what a creative space means to her, she didn't describe a studio or a particular room.
She described solitude.
For her, creating music requires complete mental freedom.
Even having someone else quietly sitting elsewhere in the house can make her feel self-conscious enough to stop ideas from flowing.
But she also pointed out something many creatives wrestle with.
Finding physical space is one thing.
Finding mental space is something else entirely.
Life is full of washing to fold, emails to answer and endless jobs demanding attention.
Choosing to create often means giving yourself permission to leave those things for a while.
Sometimes creativity isn't waiting for more time.
It's waiting for us to make room for it.
Songwriting is built one layer at a time
Unlike those magical stories of songs appearing in twenty minutes, Kirsty's process is slow, thoughtful and beautifully deliberate.
She'll begin with an idea.
Let it rest.
Come back.
Rewrite.
Question it.
Leave it again.
For her, songwriting isn't one creative burst.
It's a conversation that unfolds over weeks or even months.
She compared it to painting.
Each return adds another layer until, eventually, the picture feels complete.
Not because it became perfect.
Because it finally became honest.
Inspiration often arrives after you stop forcing it
One story from our conversation has stayed with me.
Kirsty once booked several days away in a peaceful cabin, determined to write music.
Beautiful surroundings.
Complete solitude.
No distractions.
And...
Nothing.
No inspiration at all.
Rather than forcing it, she changed her approach.
She went for a run while listening to songs she deeply admired.
She learned how those songs were written.
She pulled apart the chord progressions, rhythms and structures that moved her.
Only then did ideas begin arriving naturally.
circling back to the same message that creativity isn't always about waiting for inspiration.
and Sometimes inspiration comes from studying the work that inspires us.
Good isn't always good enough
When we spoke about the project she's most proud of, Kirsty immediately pointed to her work with Sgt. Hulka.
She described taking songs into the studio and hearing her producer say they were "good."
For many people, that would be enough.
Not for Kirsty.
Her response was simple.
"Great. So how do we make them great?"
That question became the driving force behind the project.
Every arrangement.
Every lyric.
Every production choice.
Everything was examined until it felt like the strongest version it could become.
Yet she also acknowledged the other side of perfectionism.
Eventually, every creative has to stop tweaking and let the work go.
At some point, deadlines become part of the creative process too.
Some of the best ideas arrive while you're moving
One of my favourite moments came when we discovered we share a similar creative habit.
For Kirsty, many of her best ideas appear while riding her motorbike.
For me, they often arrive during long drives (the joys of #vanlife).
Perhaps it's because our minds finally have space to wander.
No emails.
No scrolling.
No multitasking.
Just enough focus to keep moving safely while our subconscious quietly gets to work.
Sometimes the best writing happens nowhere near the desk.
Don't stop
Towards the end of our conversation, Kirsty shared advice that feels beautifully simple.
Don't stop.
She spoke honestly about taking a break from music for several years and slowly realising that something important was missing.
It wasn't fame.
It wasn't recognition.
It wasn't success.
It was creativity itself.
Returning to writing and performing wasn't about chasing a career.
It was about reconnecting with who she really is.
She creates because she has to.
Because life feels fuller when creativity has somewhere to live.
And perhaps that's the strongest reason any of us can have.
Final Thoughts
Talking with Kirsty reminded me that creativity doesn't ask us to be fast.
It asks us to be faithful.
To keep returning to the ideas that matter.
To trust that inspiration will arrive in its own time.
To study, to experiment, to rewrite, to leave things alone for a while; and then come back with fresh eyes.
Most importantly, it asks us not to give up.
Because no one else can continue your creative journey for you.
Only you can decide to keep showing up.
So don't stop.
The next idea might be closer than you think.
A x
Listen to the full conversation with Kirsty on Through the Creative Door S1.E8, where we explore songwriting, solitude, perfectionism, creative growth, and why the best creative work often comes from patiently trusting the process.
