Some artists spend their careers trying to find their sound. Cory Henry has spent his expanding it.
Across gospel, jazz, funk, soul, R&B, and countless collaborations, his music has always resisted easy labels. But when we sat down with him for Off The Record, it became clear that wasn't accidental.
For Cory, great music has never started with a genre. It starts with a feeling.
Whether he's writing a song, improvising on stage, or experimenting with a new idea in the studio, he isn't asking what box it fits into. He's asking something much simpler:
Does it move me?
That mindset has shaped one of the most distinctive careers in modern music, and it offers an important reminder for every creator: your best work usually begins when you stop worrying about where it belongs.
Let Inspiration Lead
Creative routines can be helpful. But Cory believes they should never become creative rules.
Over the years, he's intentionally stepped away from the idea that every song has to begin the same way.
"I've kind of left the formula idea of making songs. The drums don't have to come first. The keyboard doesn't have to come first. Sometimes the vocal comes first. Sometimes a lyric comes first."
Instead of forcing ideas into a workflow, he follows whatever shows up first.
Sometimes it's a melody.
Sometimes it's a chord progression.
Sometimes it's a lyric.
Sometimes it's simply a feeling that refuses to leave.
That freedom was even reflected in the Jam Sessions track he wrote for Moises.
"I just wanted to do something that was fun... something that everybody could get along with."
The song wasn't built around complexity.
It was built around creating space for other musicians to jump in, explore, and make it their own.
Stop Creating Inside Boxes
One of the biggest takeaways from our conversation came when Cory described how he thinks about genre. Or more accurately...
How he doesn't.
"I don't think about genres at all. I think about spirit. I think about soul. I think about what moves me."
That's not because he ignores musical traditions. Far from it.
Growing up in church, studying jazz, playing funk, listening to soul, hip-hop, pop, and countless other styles gave him a deep respect for every musical language. He knows the rules. He just doesn't believe they're meant to become walls.
"I'm trying to break all the boxes. I feel that the best music is created when it's out the box."
It's an idea every creator can relate to. Learning the craft gives you the vocabulary.
But finding your own voice often begins when you stop asking whether an idea fits the genre and start asking whether it feels honest.
Trust the Music, Even When Others Don't
Following your instincts sounds inspiring. Living it isn't always easy.
Cory remembers being told certain ideas didn't belong in church. Later, when he started performing outside of church, people questioned those choices too. Then it happened again when he left Snarky Puppy to pursue his own path.
No matter where he went, someone had an opinion about where he should stay.
"People always have opinions of what they think I should do... I really do my best to follow God and follow the music."
Looking back, he doesn't see those moments as setbacks. He sees them as part of becoming the artist he was meant to be. That willingness to trust his instincts instead of outside expectations is exactly what has allowed his music to reach audiences far beyond any single genre.
Create Music That Reflects Your Life
Toward the end of our conversation, Cory shared perhaps the most personal insight of all.
He no longer creates music for charts.
Or algorithms.
Or commercial success.
He creates music that captures who he is in that moment.
"My records are a time period piece."
Every album becomes a snapshot of his life.
The triumphs.
The challenges.
The lessons.
The growth.
As he explained:
"The best creations happen when I'm living life... the good and the bad. They both create the best songs."
That's a refreshing perspective in a world that often encourages musicians to chase trends. Instead, Cory reminds us that our own experiences are the one thing no one else can imitate.
Creativity Begins with Curiosity
If there was one lesson we kept coming back to throughout our conversation with Cory Henry, it was this:
Don't start with the genre.
Don't start with expectations.
Start with curiosity.
Learn the traditions.
Respect the craft.
But don't be afraid to follow an idea somewhere unexpected if that's where the music leads. Because the songs people remember aren't usually the ones that fit perfectly inside the box.
They're the ones that were brave enough to create a new one.