Sander Mölder x Premium: curiosity takes you further than a fixed plan

Throughout his creative journey, composer and music producer Sander Mölder has written a great deal of music that is highly diverse in style and sound – ranging from pop to folk, from electronic dance music to ballets, and so on. Looking back, he does not see any grand, carefully considered career plan behind it. It was rather a sense of curiosity, openness, and a willingness to try. Nowadays, however, he is seeking a balance between spontaneity and conscious choices more and more. Because sometimes a clearer direction is exactly what you need to gain the freedom to go further.

Rather unambitious beginnings

If you ask Sander Mölder what led him to music, he doesn’t talk about having had a great childhood dream of becoming a musician one day. “At first, it was a rather unambitious endeavour; it was more like inertia,” he says.

First, there was a boys’ choir, then a cello. In the meantime, Sander spent a year as the drummer in a rock band, and soon added music production and making music on the computer to his repertoire. Towards the end of secondary school, the idea of studying architecture also briefly crossed his mind, but by that time, music had already taken over and maths had become too difficult.

“There was absolutely no question of me doing anything else,” Sander recalls.

This journey also characterises his later creative work. Rather than sticking to a single genre or style of expression, he has constantly moved between different worlds. It has not been driven so much by a desire to reach a specific goal, but a desire to find out what happens when he tries different things or explores a new direction.

Photo: Silver Mikiver

Curiosity rather than ambition

Today, Sander calls curiosity his main driving force. Both towards life and music, in the broadest sense.

“How to mix completely different things, how to bring them together, how technology can influence music, or how, for example, to use music to direct the emotions of a person watching a movie… It’s like a bottomless well," Mölder says.

For him, curiosity also means being open to not deciding too quickly as to what goes together and what doesn’t. At a recent event, for example, he was asked to combine medieval music and rave. The initial reaction wasn’t to ask whether it could even be done. Rather, there was a desire to figure out how this might be done, whether it was even necessary, how much people even danced in the Middle Ages, and so on.

In that sense, Sander even describes himself as being a little naive or overly optimistic. He does not form quick preconceptions about people or opportunities. This openness can sometimes lead to trouble, but on the other hand, it is precisely this that has led him to situations and people whom he might never have met had he been too cautious.

Don’t wait – get started

If Sander were to give one piece of advice to someone who wants to start forging their own path, it would be very simple: don’t wait.

“Just do it. Whatever the idea or ambition, the simplest thing is to get started straight away and analyse it later.”

This way of thinking has also accompanied him throughout his own life. Sander says he has usually done more and analysed less. As a result, telephone calls and meetings have come along and led him to the next projects. There have been few steps where the entire journey has been planned out from start to finish.

However, he has held on to one principle: you have to keep moving and be active. “If I were at home all the time, fewer things would happen,” Mölder is certain.

That does not mean that every opportunity must lead somewhere or every detour turn out to be the right decision. For Sander, it is important to leave room for surprise and spontaneity. And also for the understanding that you don’t need to know exactly where you’ll be in five years’ time just yet. This flow and a openness has suited him well.

Photo: Silver Mikiver

Freedom to be who you really are

Spontaneity has also had another, more personal meaning in Sander’s life. He talks about how, when he was younger, he spent a long time with a fixed idea of what he should be like. At one point, however, it became clear that striving to live up to the ideal he had created for himself would not necessarily lead him where he actually wanted to go. Letting go of that ideal brought freedom and allowed him to carry on even more spontaneously. Now, however, Sander feels that even freedom needs direction from time to time. Although his openness to everything has been his strength for a long time, he has started to emphasise more awareness in deciding whether to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to something. “There isn’t enough time in life to do everything that interests you; the important thing isn’t to close the door on opportunities, but to go further with the things you’ve chosen.”

Premium means making room for what matters

A similar change has taken place in Sander’s financial affairs. At some point, it was no longer sufficient to have a bank account and be able to handle everyday payments.

The need to look into this more closely became clearer when he took a home loan. Then, matters regarding how interest rates are determined and how loans are repaid became important as well. Alongside this, there was a growing interest in investing and a desire to take a more informed look at pensions and securing his future.

“Sometime in the early 30s, there was a growing need to delve a little deeper,” says Sander, summing up this change.

For him, good banking service means, above all, simplicity. Everyday tasks should run so smoothly that you don’t need to give them a second thought. However, when faced with a major decision – such as taking out a loan – the opportunity to consult a real person becomes important.

This is precisely the principle behind LHV Premium: everyday banking services and financial matters are conveniently all in one place, and personal support is available for matters that need consultation. This leaves more room to focus on what is really important to you.

For Sander, it’s music.

He doesn’t know exactly where his creative journey will take him over the next five years. And perhaps he doesn’t need to. What matters most is knowing that the road continues.

Sometimes you don’t need a fully formed plan to find your way. All it takes is a bit of curiosity and the courage to take that first step.

‘Estonians of Six Cities’ is a portrait series by creative director Silver Mikiver (TRACE Studio) featuring Estonians whose lives and work transcend national borders. The series was shot on Super 8 film, and the photos were captured on 35 mm film.

‘I am moved by craftsmanship and the realisation of potential. With my projects, I wish to inspire and provide an impetus for more people to choose the most authentic and unique path. Walking your own path is not always easy, but for me, it is the only truly rich way to live,’ Silver Mikiver says.