Jorge Diaz

Bebe Rexha's new single “Not 20 Anymore” is a desperate cry to shake off labels, preconceived ideas and prejudices of society. Stronger, more experienced, more determined and, above all, more aware of how to live your life. That is what the singer tries and manages to convey in her song. Aided by the testimonies of the boys who participate in the video, the theme makes much more sense and makes us all think, so that once and for all we get away from the stupid ideas about beauty at a certain age and the absence of it in other stages of your life. Undoubtedly interesting, the way in which Bebe Rexha says that there are many things in which being over twenty years old is even more valuable. It is great to finally see a clear and simple statement and a clear claim against society's ideas about age. Hopefully it will be a theme that everyone of all ages gathers, so that those who still have these false conceptions of beauty, understand that it is not so. Speaking of this artist, it is a pleasure to have something else to offer, something that makes us reflect and open the debate about this and many other things that harm us as a society.

Definitely, when you take the wheel of your car and drive aimlessly, you find beautiful and exciting places that you didn't know existed. It is highly recommended that you do it from time to time because the surprises that hide the road make you feel alive and allow you to break with the monotony of modern life. It also happens in music, you just let yourself be carried by your finger on the screen of your mobile or the mouse of your computer and you get to discover wonderful singers and musicians. This is more than advisable because the paths of music are not reduced to what we always hear and are used to; on the contrary, the musical universe is so huge and varied that the possibilities of finding something that makes you fall in love are endless. It's what happened to me right now, when I came by chance to hear this great voice. With an authentic R&B, acoustic and delicious sound, Kiana Ledé left me impressed. The beauty of her voice and the control she has over it is admirable. I am sure that her theme, “Shawty”, will captivate the most demanding and will be the favorite song in many playlists in the remainder of the summer. Do not lose sight of her and follow everything that this artist does that will soon be shining in the sky of the stars of popular music.

Generally, pop music takes great care of language. Although lately there some artists and composers have taken many freedoms, because the truth, should not be so important if the things that are said are congruent with what is meant and already. But the industry keeps certain standards since it wants to reach a wider audience and thus increase its sales. Therefore, the curses are a little more on the side of the music of bad boys: rock, punk, rap, and hip-hop among others. Somehow, these rougher styles are aimed at audiences who already know what they are going to hear, while pop is always related to younger people and perhaps very guarded by their parents, so an error in what it is said, is made or shown, can be decisive with the future of the artist or the sales of the song – That's why Lauv's song caught my attention: “f*ck, I'm lonely (with Anne-Marie)”, which with a lot of naturalness and good rhythm, includes the most Satanized 'F' word in the English-speaking world. I don't know why it's something so serious; however, I lived the experience in a job (where English was spoken) in which the simple fact that they heard you say that word was a reason to be fired without the right to defend the point. Either way. I do not know if this is the case everywhere where English is spoken, but the truth is that in Mexico and perhaps throughout the Spanish-speaking world, things are a bit more relaxed with the use of language, which for me is a relief since sometimes I am very foul-mouthed – Anyway, for me, it is quite an enigma what will happen with the song of Lauv and Anne-Marie. The parents of the younger fans of these singers are probably not very happy and as is common around music, there is always a scandal where there isn't. Freedom of expression is a right and the meaning (strong or light) of the words that come from people's mouths, is given by those who hear it. It is the recipients who give it weight or naturally take the words of those who pronounce them – For now, let's watch for reactions to a song that is very good and harmless to me even though I include the ‘F’ word in the main chorus. Or it will be that they simply publish a version with the famous ‘beep’ and fix the matter, which would be pathetic.

Huge cities, dirty and polluted, full of faceless people, people who do not talk to you and do not see you, people who would not do anything for you if you were lying in the middle of the street suffering a heart attack. Noise, noise, noise everywhere and at all hours. Background noise that accompanies us even in our dreams. The city never stops, never keeps silent, people have stopped appreciating the calm, we are altered, we want to get first to anywhere, although that place is nowhere. We do not mind pushing, crushing. We believe that we do not need peace, we believe that the states of anguish and anxiety are normal and inherent to the human being and we are very wrong. We rush to the office in the morning and we only went through a café (of the fashion brand, because otherwise, we would be as weird) the women put on makeup behind the wheel, the men drive as if they were playing a football game, and time to eat? No way! If there is no time, we do not go out to eat because the work requires commitment to one hundred percent and we want the promotion at all costs, no matter hours, friends, family, health, nothing, what matters is success in business. Then, at the end of our life, we will realize that little or nothing was worth all that time invested in a company in which you were only a number, that there was never any appreciation for what you did and gave, not for the way in which you sacrificed time for your family. In the afternoon, already very late, you leave the office exhausted and in a bad mood. Maybe it's a good idea to go to the bar for a couple of beers or something a little stronger. But you're tired and you know you might find yourself with more noise and maybe with unpleasant people, besides, tomorrow you have to start the routine again; and life? life is postponed for a better time, a moment that will hardly come if we do not look for it ourselves. Peace, has anyone said peace? Well, no. Most of us who are in the middle of this chaos that is modern life have forgotten the moments of peace, those that give us the tranquility of enjoying the countryside, of pleasant music, far from the noise and the absurd objectives of the job. The moments of being with whom you love the most and most love you. To enjoy your pet, that will always be for you, unconditionally. To be in the place where you know you are safe, away from those who hurt you or just want to take advantage of you. Being on an island, the island that forms in your mind and the most endearing places for you, to find peace amid all this chaos. The chaos that represents this road that tires, that sometimes throws you to the ground and where nobody raises you.

I took Take The Crown as an example only because it seems to me that it is what most eloquently describes the career of an artist that baffles me. A record that is not from here, nor from there, that pretends to be everywhere and in none at the same time. In the beginning, as many in the UK and much of Europe know, Robbie Williams belonged to the most famous Boy Band of the time in the British Isles, Take That, and because of the outstanding attention that fans of the band put about Robbie, the idea inside his mind about leaving the band and starting a solo career began to germinate. You know, the artists' ego is huge as the Universe itself and the temptation to shine with their own light and not share credits or reflectors with the rest of the band members is very big. It is not the first, nor will it be the last. Throughout the history of the twentieth century and so far in the twenty-first we can make a long list of artists who have abandoned the original band members or, even, have caused enough problems within their groups to cause the break and thus get the goal of starting a solo career. The way in which Robbie behaved when recording his videos and in the live presentations attracted a lot of attention. Perhaps his unusual facial features and the energy he put into everything he did with the rest of the band, made him stand out from the others and that should also have captivated the executives of the record labels. The conditions to start a solo adventure were given after several very successful albums with Take That and, what had to happen, happened. Robbie Williams announced his departure from the band and one of his main goals was to go to the conquest of the great music consumer market: The United States. The artist moved to Los Angeles to be concentrated one hundred percent and have all possible contact with the industry and the public. At the time of announcing his retirement and releasing his first solo album, he had a great response in Europe (where he was already an idol) however, I believe that the American continent did not have so much enthusiasm. The signs, from the point of view of the business, were clear: we should be very careful in the next attempt and, if things in the United States were not given as intended, we should return to take care of the market that was already held captive and not cause a cooling of it, because the risk of going into oblivion very soon in a market that was not receiving attention, was very large. I think the obsession with the American market was what led to Robbie Williams' ship drifting, however many attempts he made, things never got better on this side of the Pacific Ocean.

In many parts of the world, those who call themselves lovers of pop music and who analyze all the decades of evolution since this musical style has become the biggest influence of young and not so young, agree to give it a nickname (not very lucky) to almost all the musical production of the eighties: the horrible eighties. I think it's a bit unfair. Although the aesthetics of that decade and the musical productions pretended a rupture with the past and, sometimes, provoked laughter, there are certain values ​​that have become standards until our days. The problem, from my point of view, is that we became an audience that consumed music through the eyes. The technological advances and the vision of many businessmen and creatives to take video clips in all the music that was produced in those moments distorted the perception that must be had when enjoying and analyzing the songs. Suddenly, the hairstyle or the clothes of the singers and musicians were more important than the main product: the song. The absurd video clips that took place in that stage became either the entertainment of people who did not even understand the value of the musicians and their works, or, in the reason for many people to move away from artists that were truly worthwhile. That continues to this day, although with the accumulated experience after so many years, There are very interesting nuances that have returned dignity to true geniuses who did not deserve (nor they, nor their songs) such a bad deal when the record companies ordered to produce a video as a campaign to promote their songs. Returning to the theme of the eighties and everything that occurred at that time, I remember with some anger that could not stand to see artists who did not deserve all the success they had just because they looked good on television and in the videos projected on MTV. At the same time, I was saddened to confirm that true artists surrendered to the demands of that market and lost all dignity in order not to lose validity. The worst thing was to see how great heroes of the previous two decades tended to disappear or greatly reduce their popularity and lower down the spread of their new songs just because they did not want to follow the new rules in the music market. However, not everything in the music of the eighties was bad or unworthy, there were also artists who knew how to adapt to these new rules, refined their image without falling into the pathetic and gave shape to what would be the hallmark of that era, which that up to this day is still valid in the work of many young people who, whether they want it or not, pay tribute to that musical stage of which perhaps even today many laugh without mercy. One of the best examples of good music, dignity, honesty in everything they composed and intelligence in the way they used the image of those years is Tears For Fears.

I could listen to this album twenty million times in a short period of time and I would not get tired of it, in fact, with this album, I can confirm and say that, in effect, Lady Gaga becomes a monster. A monster that creates music for all the senses and all the ways of being and thinking. A monster that devours the popularity charts of the whole world with many of the songs included in this long-play album and that conquers the most demanding consumers of popular music. There is no one who is not captivated by the sound, arrangements, strength, and rhythm of the themes that consolidate Lady Gaga as an obligatory reference and as the person who makes us understand the reason for existing, and the meanings of worlds that, until recently, had remained hidden from the view of the majority. It allows us to understand the meaning of certain attitudes and ways of thinking and makes us accept them as something normal and part of our diversity. It allows us to discover and contemplate beauty in all those things where before we only perceived strange things. It opens our mind, it moves our feet, it shows us the path that, from this album, would take popular music. It has set a high standard with which music lovers will value the musical works of other artists who pretend to be at the forefront. It puts limits to intolerance and builds bridges that unite all as the rhythm of all the themes passes. Her image challenges us to accept what is different and teaches us not to put more labels on people, only to love them as they are, without questioning their way of thinking or the way they look. Her determined and threatening look dominates us and marks us with the beat of the songs to go to those places where we had never been and discover so many things that we did not know. The Fame Monster is a before and an after, challenges the great stars of past decades and sets the conditions for the new generations of musicians who aspire to become the stars of the future. Obligates that those who seek to break through in the music scene are overcome and do everything possible to attract the attention of an audience that, upon discovering Lady Gaga, probably have already seen everything. It is not easy to overcome this for anyone. Everything that revolves around her music and image has been the perfect blend of marketing, market research and inspiration, and creativity that lives in the mind and heart of a complete and determined artist to conquer the world. As with all artists, Lady Gaga has had ups and downs in her career, either because of the natural weariness of people, the exhaustion of ideas, business commitments, tours, personal affairs and many imponderables in the life of anyone; nevertheless, The Fame Monster, must be, in my opinion, the line that throughout her artistic life must mark the course to her. It must be the compass that guides this artist at all times in all the art projects she intends to carry out so that she remembers what has allowed her to win the idolatry of massive and varied audiences.

I cannot imagine what market segment of Lennon Stella went with her EP, Love, me, in times of life where relationships tend to be a little more relaxed and love tragedies less frequent. Perhaps it is because she is going through a very painful moment in her romantic relationships or because, definitely, I am wrong and there is a large sector of the American female population and other parts of the world that identifies with these problems on a daily basis. If so, hit the nail and surely the sales will be a success. It's a selection of songs that pull you down, you get depressed just listening to the sorrows that Lennon Stella tells with that sweet but sad voice. Several themes seem like a romantic but optimistic lyric, the truth is that there is very good music in this EP; however, the lyrics invite something much darker in the soul and unfortunately could not be songs that accompany us all and at any time of the day. At least on this record, the singer shows that she and her love have not got along very well these days and that things in the heart should remain on pause for a prudent time until the prospects improve, and their expectations are met. Although love should not be expected much, there are several trial and error attempts that have to be made until the right person comes into your life. But that does not mean that it will not hurt you and that the wounds will leave scars forever. That's why, at a certain moment, maybe the album Love, me, is an escape valve for many who are going through a love disappointment and many of their songs become the soundtrack of some sad stage in the lives of some. I think that, indeed, "Bad" and "Breakaway" could be themes that will be remembered forever by the person who runs into them during a moment in their life when everything is broken and you do not even have a clue how collect the pieces of the heart to reassemble it and move on. Sometimes, songs become classics. When a theme hits the target and translates the pain of many people into song and poem, the rest will be history. Although, to be honest, I think the songs of Love, me, do not have the strength to become a generation's classic, but there will be many who remember these songs throughout their lives for very special reasons and circumstances.

There I was for the first time in my life, it was a long wait, I could not believe it. In fact, I never thought that I would ever be there because, although I always dreamed of that day, different circumstances of my life prevented me from believing that I could achieve it. But fortunately, I could and finally I was standing in front of the recording studios where the greatest number of musical successes of my childhood and adolescence heroes were recorded. At that time it was obvious that no one could go inside the studios and all the tourists swarmed on the sidewalk to take a picture of the plaque and be able to have proof that they were there when they returned to their homes after the trip to London, among other things, to make a pilgrimage to that sacred temple (I am sure that many fans consider it that way). I prefer to only see the places and I am almost an enemy of cameras and selfies; I think I keep the best pictures in my mind, and they are very good there. But who was with me, the woman of my life is the best friend and ally of the photos. As much as I ask her not to take pictures of me, she insists. Always perfectionist, it takes centuries to find the best angle, the most favorable light, wait for everyone to leave there to capture what she wants as a frame or background ... from a simple photograph! Sometimes I have to wait a long time under the sun or the rain without moving and in the place that she indicates until everything is all and in accordance with what she believes will be the perfect photograph. If I do not, the problem will be huge. And since I love her very much, with everything and my annoyance I cooperate; However, when it comes to something that for me represents an excess and an imitation of what all people do, I always defend my point of not wanting photos posing or doing what, because it is obvious and predictable behavior, is ridiculous. And that was exactly what happened on Abbey Road. Everyone comes with one goal in mind: to take a picture in that pedestrian crossing that The Beatles made famous on the cover of what would actually be the last one they recorded as a band. Returning to the religious sense that many of us give to the Fab Four, before my eyes the prophecy written by John Lennon for this album was fulfilled: "Come Together.”