I usually keep away from media because none of it is sincere, also, nowadays I find pop music irritating. Who needs pop when you can get lost with Joanna Newsom? Anyhow I havn't looked up recent music in a while, it just hasn't tickled my fancy ever since grade 9. But I do remember my childhood favourite singer Shakira as a huge inspiration to me, I remember wanting to be just like her and singing her songs, haha! Remembering how much I used to be into her, I decided to look her up and see how she's doing. Turns out.. I didn't like what I found...
WHAAATT??????
You see.. the Shakira I grew up listening to could be groovy and sensational while still being meaningful as dignified woman. I pictured her as a diva you could respect. Her music from her old albums (including her spanish music) do have really good lyrics compared to many usual pop songs. I was fascinated that you could have a song with the beats of "Whenever Wherever" and still have lyrics that say "lucky that my lips not only mumble, they spill kisses like a fountain". You do have to look and listen deeper beyond the singles to see her more intricate lyrics, especially in her spanish songwriting. She could wear belly tops and leather pants and still be very smart in her views and values and activism.
Now I look her up and the lady is singing songs with electronic beats and more common lyrics. She remains very artistic in her videos and dance, but she's all new, hardly the old Shakira I knew. It bothers me so much how now if you turn on the radio most music consists of electronic beats and DJ sounds. Some songs are meant to be that way.. say european techno songs or house music meant for raves, but I think that's as far as it needs to go. Nowadays electronic sounds are everywhere! Tell my why on earth would anyone choose electronic sounds over the purity and earthiness of a real instrument played with the sweat and tears of a musician!! It's beyond me...
My Shakira is now using those sounds, and to me, she doesn't sound as smart anymore. I mean, she has a band who she tours around with, and they provided all the musicianship she needed, how could she replace them with electronica? On top of that she's wearing clothes similar to the styles of Beyonce and Lady Gaga, I don't see the point. I find all these pop styles and bodysuits are ridiculous when they're overdone with no subtleness or simplicity; it's all just BAM IN YOUR FACE!
See like this... have you not seen this repeated and regurgitated recently by all the divas?
Note to self: no need to get fiesty or angry. But Oh man I sure am so very very irritated! My childhood inspiration is not the same no more :(. It's also true that people go on and change and transform all the time, it's happened hundreds of times with pop singers, I just didn't see it coming that my original Shakira would completely change her direction. I respect her still, I just wont find myself agreeing to her music anymore.
We've both grown out of something. I've grown out of popular music, while Shakira is moving into it's newness. I've grown out of all that thankfully. You see I go to a school of the arts for it's vocal music program and there I've learned to appreciate music like classical music and jazz. I've gotten lost in a world of music more complex than pop where I find nothing is dull. Now I can see how important music education is, and how much the classic world has to offer. Nevertheless..we can't help but be chameleons and transform to get to experience everything that comes our way.
But oh how I miss the old her...
