What Your Music Says About YOU!

I sat down with Nathanial Karahalis, a musician, aspiring to someday hit the Symphonies of the world, to discuss music and the entertainment industry. Nate was discussing the stereotypes surrounding music, which go hand in hand with the young stars featured on Where It All Begins. Many adults have been embarrassed to say they jammed to a little “Party in the USA,” caught the “Bieber Fever”, or “Naturally” rocked out to Selena Gomez, but all these artists, and more have reached heights on the pop charts, which comprise a variety of music and age groups. Nathanial says, “If you’re embarrassed to say you like a certain kind of music or song, you’re feeding into the stereotypes.” Nathanial relates that the kind of music you like is subjective; it’s what makes you original. Whatever kind of music you were exposed to at a young age sets the tone for what’s pleasing to your ears later on in life. Who’s to say that a guy who enjoys listening to the Jonas Brothers is less of a man than the guy listening to Eminem? Music is in the ear of the listener. Karahalis comments that no one can really define what is and isn’t “music.” Music is a universal language. It is the language of love, hate, confusion, and sadness. Music can tell a story or play out a dream. What would the world be without the personal flavor of your own musical tastes? Music is an art, and art is open to interpretation. Yes, artists have a specific meanings and messages in mind when they are writing a song, but to the artist, what matters most is that people are inspired.

It seems these days’ artists are constantly being compared to someone else- very few artists are considered original in their own right. Miley Cyrus was compared to Britney Spears by John Jay and Rich on their radio show Wednesday this past week because the opening lines of “Can’t be tamed” have the same beat as Britney’s “If you seek Amy.” The beat may be similar, but the songs both have different flavors and lyrical content. We’re not sure if these comments led Miley to record a remix of “Can’t be tamed” with Lil Jon later that evening, but this is just one example of the constant war of words in the music industry.

Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” is the best selling album of all time, and while he will remain the “king of pop” forever, he didn’t live without social demise. Jackson remains to be seen as a musical genius, and has gone down as one of the most renowned artists of all time. Elvis shook his hips, Madonna has crossed the” borderline” at more than one border, and the Beatles wrote most of their songs high as kites, however, those “scandals” are miniscule compared to the prints these artists have left on the music industry. Although credibility shouldn’t matter, one has to ask if we are creating a legion of artists that will be prevented from leaving a legacy due to the wide criticism they face. Taking away the freedom to perform and interpret the language of music however one sees fit, is stripping a freedom of speech in its purest form.