The Influences is a music video project and YouTube channel that captures intimate live performances exploring the musical craft and key influences of some of the most compelling artists from around the globe.
Created and curated by Dutch journalist and filmmaker Matthijs van der Ven in 2008, The Influences has now filmed over 400 separate artists in many unique settings, creating a substantial musical archive of over 1200 videos.
The project has recorded numerous award winning artists including several Grammy winners / nominated artists. Notable contributors include Damien Jurado, The Tallest Man On Earth, Courtney Marie Andrews, Tim Knol, Anaïs Mitchell, Molly Tuttle, The Staves, John Paul White, Daryll-Ann, Ian Noe and Villagers.
The Influences has established a reputation amongst both musicians and their audiences for videos that show honesty and faithfulness to the artist, the setting and the song. The channel now has 25 thousand subscribers and is approaching 15 million views.