There has always been an elusive appeal knowing only a limited amount of information about an artist’s life.
With technology completely revolutionising our experience with music, ushering in the emergence of streaming services, changing the way we consume music, I pondered on the effect this digital age has had on the artist.
One of the essential tools in marketing an artist’s product nowadays is via the use of social media platforms, ultimately granting them access to a more intimate interaction with their fanbase which was unavailable to previous music generations.
However, as much as this method has aided the artist in their work, with the rapid spread of information as a result of social media, many artists have felt compelled to take a stance in voicing their opinion on pretty much everything, and unfortunately for some, this is all being documented.
Given that the artist’s life experiences ties directly into their art and this has ultimately led to the production of iconic discographies; as a result. It can feel as if knowing too much about the artist’s politics, ideologies, and thoughts could have somewhat impacted our enjoyment of their music.
An example of such an artist would be Kanye West. Rebellious in his art and notoriously unpredictable, Ye is well-known for saying some rather outlandish things which many of us have indulged in on occasion. In the past, it was in moderation, but in recent times it’s been taken to new extremes.
There have been moments where we have failed to be enlightened by his revelations. Many of us have witnessed Ye being wholly governed by his emotions with his egotistical rants on social media which have been mostly incoherent, hypercritical, and unfortunately embarrassing.
Kanye hasn’t just voiced his views online he proceeded to bring them into his shows; overshadowing his musical performances forgetting that as an entertainer his emphasis should be on the music. As a result, it has led many to question his credibility not just as an individual but also as an artist.
Anybody of work Ye has released thereafter has had an underwhelming response and have paled in comparison to his earlier bodies of work.
Ye’s personal life made a significant impact on his art. Marrying a reality tv star wasn’t well received amongst some of his long time loyal supporters, many believe that the demise in his craft and its quality undoubtedly happened simultaneously, the focus shifted from the music to other agendas.
One could argue that with the demand for biopics such as that of Tupac’s, and the popularity of reality tv shows like Love And Hip-Hop, the interest in the life of the artist is at an all-time high. However, with the release of documentaries like that of ‘Surviving R. Kelly’ knowing too much about the artist’s life has in actuality led to the boycotting of his music and Kelly’s now-former celebrity peers to publicly disassociating themselves from him.
Granted, R. Kelly is more of an extreme example and we as a culture should know about and not accept immoral behaviour. It’s evident that knowing less is better and all this information that has surfaced has ultimately destroyed his legacy.
However, our experience with music as consumers is ever-changing. Comparisons are inevitably going to be made in all areas of it. The ‘Music was better in the 90s’ conversation has been hotly debated amongst the millennials. Discussing everything from the lyrical content to the bodies of work; it would seem apparent that many have concluded the music from this period had more substance and is better than that of today.
Taking all this into consideration it’s not just the nostalgia. Our perception of the artist has perhaps changed. Hypothetically speaking could one still enjoy such songs as Perfect by Ed Sheeran the same way if it surfaced that he was consistently unfaithful? Truth is most of us would remain indifferent, yet for others, it would unequivocally ruin it.
In conclusion, knowing too much about the artist, them being too outspoken, has paved the way for public backlash. It has led to pressure for forced apologies and made them too hyper-aware of not offending anyone. It’s distracted us from the music. I want the artist to immerse themselves in their art instead. Tell us a story that alters and intensifies our mood, offer us escapism from life. Leave a little mystery to make us wonder.