The ADHD Music Manifesto

The ADHD Music Manifesto:

(Eurovision, Mandates and Whatnot)

I started writing this blog post in May 2024. It’s February 2025. That’s the finest example of my ADHD calling the shots instead of me.

Another Eurovision came and went. And now a new one is right around the corner.

If you know me, or if you’ve followed my YouTube channel for a while, you already know I’m a die-hard Eurovision fan. It’s one of the highlights of my year. But at the same time, it leaves me with mixed feelings. I love Eurovision. I love the format, I love the songs, I love the emotions it stirs up. But it also reminds me of something else: how music is often boxed in, how artists are expected to stick to a certain mold.

For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Andres. I was diagnosed with ADHD in 1996. In 2020, I released Atypical, an album where I tried to portray ADHD symptoms through music. It was my way of expressing how my brain works—how ideas shift, evolve, and take unexpected turns.

I’ve always been an eclectic musician. I love blending different styles, but at the same time, I’ve often held myself back because of these unspoken rules, these expectations of what I “should” be doing.

I started out as a progressive rock composer; strictly symphonic, heavily influenced by the ‘70s classics: Genesis, Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Less jazz, more classical. That was my foundation.

I still consider myself a progressive musician. And I love prog, I listen to it all the time. But my favorite artists? That’s another story.

Michael Jackson was my first idol. My first cassette. My first CD. The first artist that truly left a mark on me.

My favorite band? Queen.

Queen started out with some progressive tendencies, sure, but they evolved into something more. Michael Jackson was pop, with R&B, disco, and funk mixed in. And then there’s Stevie Wonder—funk, soul, pop, R&B.

I listen to all of that. I love all of that. And yet, for years, I kept telling myself I had to be one thing.

I launched my career with Wish You Could Hear in 2013, a 12-minute, four-movement symphonic rock piece. Then I spent two years working on Wötan: the Untold Story, a massive two-hour rock opera. But by the end of it, I burned out.

That’s when things started shifting. I began writing music I had always wanted to write. I started incorporating Argentine folk elements, tango, jazz. That led me to “Awakening“, a tribute to Colin Tench after his passing.

And then something clicked.

I have a superfan on Bandcamp, Sven B. Schreiber, who had listened to all my music. While I was working on the Colin Tench album, I sent him an early version of December. His response stopped me in my tracks.

Hi Andres, my first spontaneous thought while listening was: Yeah, it’s a real Guazzelli! “Wish You Could Hear” was sort of a modern “Bohemian Rhapsody”, and this seems to be your personal trademark. The analogy is due to the way you expand on a theme, which eventually comes to a halt, and then proceeds quite unexpectedly into a different direction. I just love this surprise factor, which is innate in “December” as well.

Sven B. Schreiber

Sven had noticed something I had never consciously put into words. The way I constantly shift themes, how I cut ideas short and then circle back to them—it wasn’t just a stylistic choice. It was how my ADHD brain worked. My natural way of composing.

That realization led to Atypical.

But even after that, something was still nagging at me.

That’s where Embracing Change comes in. That song was my way of breaking free from the restrictions I had placed on myself. It was my first non-instrumental song in a long time—something I allowed myself to just do, without overthinking whether it fit into a particular mold.

It was as if Wish You Could Hear reflected the musician I wanted to be, Wötan the one I aspired to be, but  Atypical was who I really, truly was. But so was Embracing Change!

And here’s the thing: Embracing Change is clearly influenced by Queen. No surprise there. But it got me thinking—if I can do something that sounds like Queen, why can’t I let myself write music influenced by Michael Jackson? He’s one of my biggest idols. Why should I hold myself back?

For years, I had this idea drilled into my head: prog musicians stick to prog. But here’s the catch: If you stay exactly the same, you’re boring. But if you change, you’re a sellout. You can’t win.

And that’s even harder when you have ADHD. Because we need change. We crave it. The fastest way to kill our creativity is to box ourselves in.

The other thing we struggle with? The business side of things. Marketing. Self-promotion. Making a damn pitch for Spotify. It’s exhausting. So we avoid it.

That’s when I decided I needed a framework—something that would allow me to create freely while staying true to myself. Something that would let me be 100% honest about who I am as an artist.

And that’s where ADHD Music was born.

ADHD Music isn’t a genre. It’s not about sounding a certain way. It’s a mindset. A way of embracing the chaos, the unpredictability, the shifts in direction. It’s about being open to whatever comes next—whether it’s a symphony, a pop song, a motet, or a full-blown prog epic.

From now on, I make the rules.

And that’s the most honest I’ve ever been as an artist.

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The ADHD Music Manifesto

I. What is ADHD Music?

ADHD Music is chaos refined into art. It’s the soundtrack of the restless mind, where attention shifts like a kaleidoscope and every moment bursts with unfiltered energy. It thrives on the unpredictable, the eclectic, and the unapologetically raw.

ADHD Music isn’t just a genre; it’s the sound of absolute freedom, where rules are broken, genres are blurred, and creativity thrives in its rawest, most authentic form. It’s about making music without constraints, rejecting mandates and expectations, and fully embracing the chaos of inspiration.

This is music for the nonlinear thinkers, for those whose creativity is a constant, untamed surge. It’s a celebration of hyperfocus and impulsivity, blending genres, sounds, and ideas that “shouldn’t” work together but somehow do. ADHD Music is not just a genre; it’s a mindset.

ADHD Music doesn’t ask for attention; it seizes it with bursts of unpredictability, sudden tangents, and moments of pure, immersive focus. It’s a rebellion against conformity, but it’s also a celebration of authenticity, no matter what form it takes.

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II. The Core Philosophy

1. Boundless Exploration
   Music should never feel constrained. ADHD Music artists are explorers, traveling through time, cultures, and emotional landscapes to create work that feels alive and untamed.
2. Opposites Attract
   Influences that seem completely incompatible can create something greater when blended. ADHD Music revels in the unexpected marriage of opposites, proving that authenticity shines brightest when it’s unhindered by expectations.
3. Rules are Meant to Be Broken
   Forget the “right” way to structure a song. Forget time signatures, verse-chorus-verse formulas, or the pressure to appeal to the mainstream. ADHD Music is a sandbox where chaos and experimentation thrive. Constraints kill creativity. Whether it’s pitching for playlists, sticking to genre rules, or meeting external expectations, these limitations shackle the artistic soul. ADHD Music thrives when boundaries are ignored, and the “what ought to be” is replaced with “what could be.”
4. Forget Genre, Structure, and Length
   ADHD Music isn’t bound by traditional song structures or lengths. A track can be 30 seconds or 30 minutes. This makes ADHD Music akin to progressive rock in its spirit of experimentation, but embracing even more abrupt shifts and unpredictability. Hooks, choruses, or abrupt detours; anything goes because there are no rules.
5. Embrace Disruption
   ADHD Music is not afraid to interrupt itself. Songs don’t follow linear progressions; they erupt, dissolve, rebuild, and scatter. This is music designed to keep the listener guessing, never allowing complacency.
6. Authenticity is Everything
   An artist who changes direction from album to album isn’t “selling out”; they’re evolving. An artist who sticks to the same sound isn’t “stagnating”; they’re staying true to themselves. What matters is authenticity: music made from the heart.
7. No Elitism, No Snobbery
   Elitism stifles creativity. Rigid gatekeeping limits what music can be. ADHD Music rejects snobbery in all forms and embraces freedom of expression above all else.
8. Trends Can Inspire, Not Define
   Following trends isn’t inherently bad, as long as it comes from genuine inspiration rather than chasing formulas for success. New sounds and ideas are fuel for creativity, but cashing in just to stay relevant betrays the essence of ADHD Music.
9. Celebrate the Tangent
   ADHD Music thrives on unpredictability. A song might erupt into a new rhythm or abandon one genre for another entirely. The tangent is where true creativity lives, and ADHD Music makes it the centerpiece.
10. Mainstream Isn’t Everything
    Times change, and mainstream media may push certain sounds, structures, or lengths. You don’t have to follow them, and you shouldn’t rebel against them just for rebellion’s sake. Instead, listen to your heart and let it guide your art. Not everyone will like your music, and that’s okay. You might not fit into the mainstream, but not “making it” is not failure; stopping your art is. There’s a niche for everyone and everything; the key is finding it.

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III. The Sound of ADHD Music

• Dynamic Contrasts: Moments of quiet intimacy collide with explosive chaos. The listener is taken on a journey of emotional peaks and valleys.
• Unusual Instrumentation: Classical instruments meet synthesizers, industrial machinery, and natural sounds. Expect the unexpected.
• Layered Vocals (Optional but Powerful): Vocals in ADHD Music are treated as instruments; sometimes upfront and clear, sometimes buried and distorted, or sometimes absent altogether. While vocals can add another layer of texture and emotion, they are not essential. ADHD Music can thrive just as well in purely instrumental form.
• Unpredictable Rhythms: Time signatures shift unexpectedly. Rhythms mirror the unpredictable flow of human thought and emotion.

ADHD Music is unpredictable, vibrant, and full of life. It bends genres and defies logic; melding metal riffs with lo-fi beats, ambient soundscapes with punk energy. Its only constant is change, its only goal is to resonate emotionally. It might jolt you out of comfort or immerse you in pure focus, but it will never leave you indifferent.

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IV. The Movement

ADHD Music is more than a genre: it is a movement. It is about dismantling barriers, both within music and between people. Artists and fans alike are part of this collective. Everyone is a creator. Everyone has a voice.

ADHD Music isn’t just about making songs; it’s about fostering a culture of unbridled creativity. It’s a rebellion against conformity and a celebration of self-expression. Artists and fans alike are encouraged to embrace what makes them different, to support one another in their pursuit of authentic art, and to reject the pressures of elitism, snobbery, or perfectionism.

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V. The Call to Action

To those who feel limited by convention:

• Forget what you know about genres.
• Break every rule.
• Let your art be messy, emotional, and wild.
• Share your work. Collaborate. Innovate.
• Remember: ADHD Music is not a finished product: it is a living, evolving entity. You are part of its evolution.

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If you’ve ever felt boxed in by rules or expectations, ADHD Music is for you. If you’ve ever doubted your ability to create because you didn’t “fit in,” this is your permission to break free. Experiment, take risks, and let the chaos of inspiration guide you. Forget about making it big; just focus on making it real.

ADHD Music doesn’t follow trends; it creates them. It doesn’t chase approval; it invites connection. Be bold, be authentic, and let your art be as unpredictable as life itself.

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