Meaning: The quote by Joanna Newsom sheds light on her approach to music composition and production. In this statement, she expresses her deliberate choice to avoid over-embellishing her music with additional instrumentation. Instead, she seeks to allow the songs to stand on their own merits. This approach reflects a commitment to simplicity and a desire to showcase the inherent strength of the songs without relying on excessive layers of instrumentation.

Joanna Newsom is a musician known for her distinctive voice, intricate harp playing, and poetic songwriting. Her music often incorporates elements of folk, baroque, and indie rock, and her approach to instrumentation is a defining aspect of her artistry. By choosing to resist the urge to "thicken everything up with instrumentation," Newsom demonstrates a deliberate and thoughtful approach to her craft.

By emphasizing the importance of allowing the songs to shine on their own, Newsom's quote speaks to the fundamental essence of music. At its core, music is about connecting with listeners on an emotional and intellectual level. By stripping away excessive layers of instrumentation, Newsom's music retains a raw and authentic quality that allows the listener to focus on the lyrical and melodic content of the songs.

This approach also resonates with the concept of musical purity. By forgoing the temptation to embellish her compositions with additional instrumentation, Newsom preserves the integrity of the original musical ideas. This decision reflects a commitment to artistic honesty and a refusal to compromise the essence of the songs for the sake of commercial appeal or trend-chasing.

In a broader context, Newsom's approach to instrumentation reflects a larger trend in music towards minimalism and simplicity. In an era where technology allows for almost limitless sonic possibilities, some artists consciously choose to pare back their arrangements and focus on the core elements of their music. By doing so, they invite the listener to engage more deeply with the emotional and thematic content of the songs, rather than being dazzled by complex production techniques.

Furthermore, Newsom's quote also highlights the importance of songwriting and composition in the music-making process. By placing emphasis on how the songs "do on their own," she underscores the significance of strong and compelling musical material. This perspective aligns with the idea that a great song can stand on its own without relying on elaborate instrumentation or production tricks.

In conclusion, Joanna Newsom's quote illuminates her approach to music as a deliberate and thoughtful process. Her decision to resist the urge to thicken everything up with instrumentation reflects a commitment to simplicity, musical purity, and a focus on the essential elements of her art. By allowing the songs to speak for themselves, she invites listeners to engage with the core emotional and thematic content of her music, ultimately creating a deeper and more meaningful connection between artist and audience.