Bruce Springsteen Q&A: ‘Always bet on yourself’
Tuesday 04 November 2025
Bruce Springsteen has urged LIPA students to back themselves in an inspirational Q&A.
During the hour-long session on 7 June the legendary singer-songwriter discussed his creative practice, his mission as a live performer, whether artists should write political material and how “betting on yourself” can be transformational.
Bruce was invited to LIPA by founding patron Sir Paul McCartney, who joined students for the Q&A along with Bruce’s E Street Band guitarist and longtime collaborator Steven Van Zandt. The following day, Sir Paul joined Bruce on stage for his second Anfield show.
Here’s an edited selection of Bruce’s answers to student questions.
Do you have a specific songwriting process, or does it come naturally? Iona Summer, Music.
My process comes from the inside out. I rarely pick a subject and write a song about it. I wait for something to move me and then I write. Sometimes I’ll go two years without writing a song and then write an album in three weeks because that’s when inspiration arrives.
I keep a guitar at the end of the bed because once it starts, once those blessings start to arrive you have to be prepared for them. How do you make sure you're ready for them? You study your craft. You learn your craft so when inspiration hits, you’re ready for it; you have the process to get it out into the world. Writing a song is magic; it doesn’t exist, it’s in the air, or in your heart or your soul. You take it and make it real. It’s not a magic trick – it’s actual magic.
Do you start with the lyrics or the music, and how do you manage to get both elements to complement each other? Joe Ryder Music (Songwriting & Performance).
For me, they come at pretty much the same time. Often, I’ll just have a line; a song is one or two great lines and a great metaphor. Dancing in the Dark, you can go anywhere with that. Born to Run, you can go anyway with that. So, you want a good metaphor to start with.
What was it about The Beatles single I Want to Hold your Hand that made you want to play guitar and what impact have The Beatles had on your career? Emily Rhodes, Music (Songwriting & Performance).
I remember when it came on the radio, I was transfixed – I didn’t understand why, but I knew that was the moment my life expanded. My ideas of what was possible grew exponentially. There was a freshness and an electricity in that piece of music – it was their first big hit in America – and it expanded your world. Suddenly you were beyond your little town, you were going to outgrow your family, you were going to go to some place you hadn’t previously imagined. That’s what the arts give us, the ability to imagine ourselves in a new world, with a new identity and with something meaningful and impactful to do. That’s what I got out of that piece of music.
First year Music (Contemporary Pop Voice & Performance) students perform an a cappella version of Dancing in the Dark
How do artists strike a balance between authenticity, originality and drawing on their influences? Finn Richards, Music (Songwriting & Production).
When I made my first two records everyone described me as the new Bob Dylan, even though the old Bob Dylan was only 30-years-old! I wore a lot of influences on my sleeve during my early records, like everybody does. Very quickly I decided I wanted to move away from that and find my own voice. My third record, Born to Run, was when I really felt I found a voice that belonged to me that I was going to pursue and follow for the rest of my work life. But when you’re young, you’re always drawing on your inspirations. That’s how it starts, by pretending to be Elvis or Paul (McCartney) or Van (Morrison). But from there you will find out who you are, it will come - but it takes time.
What are the key elements for a successful live performance? Joseph Griffin. Music (Songwriting & Performance).
You’ve got to have one foot in the audience and one foot on the stage. The day you don’t recognise the audience, or they don’t recognise you, it’s time to go home. You have to continue to find that commonality.
When someone buys a ticket, that’s a handshake. What you're guaranteeing them is the absolute best of yourself on that night. I’m going to be giving you the very best that I have to bring out the very best of you. I want to give you something that will stay with you for the rest of your life. I want people to be inspired, so they can leave the building with those feelings and call on them when they need them in their life. That’s my mission.
Do you have any songs where you went into the studio with a specific idea then an accident or mistake changed how the song turned out? Imogen Storer, Sound Technology
Accidents give you a short cut into your subconscious. If you are an actor or a musician, when you’re at your best you are dealing in the life of your subconscious, that’s where you are drawing your inspiration from. Not from the things you think you know, but from the things you are feeling. What moves an audience? What you are feeling moves an audience.
Do you think musicians should write political songs or does it pose a risk to your career? Leah Challinor, Music (Songwriting & Performance).
My current show is the most political I’ve ever done. It’s not a lot, only two or three times a night, but I’ve written about America for 50 years now and I’ve tried to be a good ambassador and what is happening there now is deeply concerning to me, so I knew I had to talk about it.
It depends upon the individual artist and what you’re comfortable with. I’ve never sat down to write a particularly political piece of music, but a lot of my music has deeply political implications. I always thought it was natural for my music to have a political aspect but at the right moment, you don’t want to be on a soap box, but if you can dig into the emotional power of what people are struggling with politically, you will find something powerful to say and the correct way to say it.
Was there a turning point in your career, a moment that if hadn’t happened you wouldn’t be where you are today? Poppy King, Music, LIPA Sixth Form College.
I was 25-years-old and there were these two huge magazines in the United States called Time and Newsweek, very serious magazines with huge circulations and they wanted to put me on their covers, and they did not put music people on the cover at that time. I had to make a huge decision whether to be on the cover of these magazines or not. I was very ambivalent about it, but didn’t want to be sitting in my rocking chair on my porch at the age of 50 going, ‘gee, I could’ve, I should’ve, I would’ve, if only I’d had the guts to... ‘ so, I pulled the trigger and I was on the cover of both magazines. I felt unbelievably exposed. When they came out they embarrassed me. But I’m glad I did it. It gave me a lot of exposure.
What I guess I’m saying is, bet on yourself. Always bet on yourself. Bet on what you can do. What you're not sure you can do, bet on it.
Photography: Brian Roberts
