Rip Rig & Panic was a milestone for me, and I've always been

Hear the words of Neneh Cherry, whose voice and art carved new paths through music and culture: “Rip Rig & Panic was a milestone for me, and I’ve always been really thankful that I did that when I was 16. It saved me for when I suddenly became really successful later on. So even when my head’s been spinning like a banshee, my feet still feel held down to the ground.” These words speak of gratitude, of the power of early foundations, and of the wisdom that anchors the soul when the storms of fame threaten to carry it away.

The first jewel in her reflection is the notion of a milestone. A milestone is not only a marker of progress, but also a root, a point of grounding. For Neneh Cherry, her time in Rip Rig & Panic was such a moment—it gave her experience, discipline, and perspective when she was still young. She declares that she is thankful for this, for without such a grounding, later success could have swept her into ruin. The ancients also honored milestones, both literal and symbolic, as reminders of where one had come from and how one should continue to walk.

The second flame in her words is the idea of thankfulness for preparation. Many crave sudden success, but few are ready for it. Cherry acknowledges that her early years “saved” her, not by granting her fame, but by shaping her resilience. This wisdom reveals a truth: it is not the height of success that determines endurance, but the depth of one’s roots. Without early grounding, even the brightest flame can burn itself out quickly. Gratitude for preparation is gratitude for survival.

The third truth she shares is the danger of success without grounding. She speaks of her “head spinning like a banshee,” evoking the chaos, noise, and disorientation that fame can bring. Many are dazzled by the brightness of success, only to lose themselves in its storm. Yet Cherry’s feet “feel held down to the ground”—she is anchored, steady, because her early experiences gave her ballast. Here is wisdom: success is not an ascent without gravity, but a flight that must be tethered lest it spiral into destruction.

History gives us a mirror in the tale of Marcus Aurelius, the philosopher-king. As emperor of Rome, he was surrounded by immense power and distraction, yet his early devotion to philosophy grounded him. In his Meditations, he wrote constantly of humility, mortality, and duty. These early disciplines “saved” him when his head could have spun with the intoxication of absolute power. Like Cherry, he demonstrates that grounding is the safeguard against the madness of success.

The fourth jewel in Cherry’s words is humility. She does not exalt herself for her later triumphs; instead, she looks back with gratitude to her beginnings, acknowledging that they steadied her when greater things came. This humility is the shield of the wise—it reminds us that greatness is not self-made, but prepared by the unseen, by experiences, by struggles, by the shaping of character long before glory arrives. To be thankful is to remember the foundation and to keep one’s feet upon the earth, even when the mind soars.

The lesson is clear: do not despise your beginnings. Be thankful for the small opportunities, the early hardships, the hidden seasons of growth. They may feel insignificant in the moment, but they are the anchors that will hold you firm when life tests you. Do not envy those who rise quickly without roots; instead, cultivate depth, humility, and gratitude in your early steps.

Practically, this means embracing every stage of the journey, however small. Look back often and remember the milestones that shaped you. Give thanks for the lessons of youth, for the struggles that taught endurance, for the mentors and experiences that held you steady. And when success comes, do not let your head spin without anchor—hold fast to the ground of humility and gratitude, and your soul will endure.

Thus, Neneh Cherry’s words resound as timeless wisdom: be thankful for your foundations, for they are the earth beneath your feet when success lifts you high. Without them, fame is a storm; with them, it is a flight that does not lose its way.