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Jan Delay Reaffirms Analog Songwriting Practice With Pen and Notebook

He says writing ideas in a physical notebook with blue ink preserves his creative flow

Overview

  • Delay told Deutsche Presse-Agentur that whenever a new song idea strikes he immediately reaches for his long-standing Rhyme-Book rather than his smartphone
  • He insisted on using a ballpoint pen—a habit born in his schooldays—and favors blue ink while also accepting black as a secondary option
  • Delay explained that crossing out, scribbling and adding tags by hand helps him mentally visualize and refine his lyrics
  • Although many of his peers have migrated to digital note-taking, he described using a phone as too cold, impersonal and soulless
  • His steadfast commitment to analog tools highlights wider debates over technology’s impact on creative workflows