Legends of Music

How could we define music?

By Christopher Oakes

Is it the art of noise, the combination of sounds to create beauty and the expression of emotion? We are not so different from music. Why? We are music.

We have grown close to it, and it has been a part of us all of our lives. Even when we were still a little speck inside of our mom, her heart was still there, pumping a beat that got us kicking, much to our mother’s pleasure.

We never gave birth to it, it gave birth to us. It showed us how to communicate beyond a word; it taught us how to react with one another. It showed us how dance, with that instinctive pop of the hip, or the shake of the hand, or to raise our arms above our heads.

It showed us how to enjoy life in a new way, with the early morning run, becoming an entertaining burst of random faces as you sing along to that favourite ‘jam’, and people staring as they drive by.

Music gave birth to legends, with stories that will be told for generations after they are gone. Their stories influenced us in ways that even the leaders of the world try to keep up with.

These Legends have left their mark on us, whether we like it or not, both good and bad, because it has been with us, even as a kicking speck, because as Lady Gaga says, “You were born this way!”

Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry.  These are the artists I have chosen to highlight.  You might not like them all, but they all made a difference. They left a mark on this world, be it in a magazine, a newspaper or on television.

Everywhere you look, you will see their names. They have all left their legacies, both good and bad.  It can be said that the three of them have influenced all of our lives. 

Michael Jackson was a man of action; he took the mundane out of music, and has his own recipe for success.

He started out as a backing vocalist, and made it big time as one of the most successful performing artists of all time.  He set trends in clothing, wearing leather and bling all through the ‘Bad” era.

Michael made the Moonwalk famous.  That dance move that everyone knows. His odd behaviour kept us on our toes and him in the spotlight for his whole career.

Michael was diagnosed with Vitiligo in 1986, causing his skin to slowly bleach as he aged. As he tried to hide the spots of lighter skin on his body with makeup, he became paler due to it. He adopted the look and made it all his own.

He received numerous plastic surgeries, such as rhinoplasty, a chin lift, and an operation to put a dimple into his chin. Michael was a really weird yet exciting person, and to most, he was a breath of fresh air.

He excelled in the art of music, fashion, dance and drama, and left many legacies.

Katy Perry is a girl full of attitude, and is ready to burst out of the seams showing a display of fireworks, and is extremely thankful for Fridays!  Her intense blue, REALLY blue hair, and her baby blue dress, caught the eye of many at the Grammy's.

She is a force to be reckoned with and has captured the hearts of many teenagers.

Katy left a strong impression on people with the song “Firework”. Many people tried, and failed, to sing this at the auditions for the on the X Factor and American Idols.

Katy’s dress choice is always bright and colourful, and she people stop and stare as she walks past.

 

She puts her heart and soul into music, and gives her all in whatever she does. Katy Perry is an inspiration, more good than bad. 

Even with her personal life in tatters as she faces divorce, her professionalism never wanes. We are all looking forward to what she can bring to us in the near future with her unique brand of music.

And then there is Lady Gaga. She is the woman of the hour, the one to behold and the one who has been to the butcher for a dress.  She has amazed the world with her taste in music, and has reached new heights in the way she can capture attention.

 

So what came first, Gaga, or the egg?  She might be extremely hungry, and tried a dress she could cook on a braai after the event. Maybe she was looking into a new perspective on the world, trying to think in ways that others had never done before.

Her outlook on music is astounding, and she has given birth to something great. She showed the world that a woman can be powerful, intimidating and a little scary. She can still grace us with music that anyone can tap their feet too. Everyone knows the lyrics to ‘Poker Face’.

Lady Gaga sent a strong message with ‘Born this Way’. The song tells you that no matter who you are, no matter the outcome of what others think, you were born this way.

  

Sadly, with the good comes the bad, and Gaga went really bad, when she got shoulder and head implants, giving herself ‘horns’.

Many people believe her to be Satanic. Yet again, she was exploring another new way of life, this time, thankfully, with no meat. Her legacies are certainly the strangest, and the most inspiring of the three people I have spoken of. She took a stand, and made her life what she wanted. She has had her bad times, but we all do.

We have been music all of our lives... We began with a dancing little speck and may end up an old married couple dancing together to their wedding song on a golden anniversary.

Music gets us through the bad times and cheers us on through the good. It brings us closer together as people. It is with us when we say good morning and when we say goodnight. From the moment we are born until the moment we die. Music is the art of noise, the combination of sounds to create beauty, and the expression of emotion.

  We aren’t so different from music. Why? We are music.