Comment by mega_dean
11 hours ago
This isn't a real counterexample, but an interesting case is Bobby McFerrin, who wrote "Don't Worry, Be Happy". He avoided listening to singers for 1-2 years in order to develop his own voice/sound:
"First was the vision, then the technique of working it out. I wanted to find my own way of singing by knowing myself. I knew that if I started listening to other singers, it would take me years to develop. So I shut myself off from other singers for along time."
from page 25 of https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/R%26B-Re...
That makes sense to me. If I was about to write a doom metal record I'd probably avoid listening to doom metal for a while.
The difference here, as you point out, is that Bobby already had a lifetime of listening to music and appreciating other singers.