There is something wrong with a world where purity, honesty and authenticity are viewed as weaknesses. There is something amazing when these attributes are desirable. There is something magical when these same qualities reveal themselves through art, music, writing, drama and any other form of creative expression. These qualities should be celebrated and nurtured, yet in our world we see the darkness of lies, deception and dishonesty taking a hold of our society so many times. And yet, there is hope. At least for me there is hope for the future when I observe the scribblings of a child on a brown paper bag, or the song of a child playing in the bathtub. This is raw creative expression which I have devoted my life to through teaching and through my relationships with others.
I have hummed these songs of humanity my entire life. When I tried to sing them out loud I was sometimes praised, but mostly I was shunned. It is very, very difficult to cultivate this spirit of purity, or honesty and of authenticity in a world which seems to want us to become some kind of cookie-cutter image of success – someone who makes lots of money, drives a brand new expensive car and lives in the most exquisite home in the most prestigious neighborhood. I failed at every one of these socially acceptable norms, but hopefully I have retained being pure, honest and authentic.
This is why I love Scarypoolparty. He captured my soul with his audition on American Idol. There was something so beautiful, so natural, and so real that I just wept. I didn’t understand it at the time, but I’m beginning to embrace the possibility that Alejandro Aranda was singing a song which I myself have yearned to sing myself. The song of humanity. The song of love and fear and all the other emotions which come with being human.
I have just finished watching LaunchLeft’s hour-long interview with Alejandro Aranda. It left me feeling a bit ashamed of myself for allowing the negativity of others regarding their criticism of him to permeate my mind. I am convinced after watching this beautiful soul answer so many personal and difficult questions regarding his life, his family and his personal musical Journey that he is truly one of those artists who has been able to overcome the clichés of being an American Idol contestant or just wanting to express themselves through the commerciality of the music industry.
What a gift Alejandro has been given! What a privilege. What a heavy burden to carry each moment that he expresses himself to the public. He is a rare voice and talent in a world filled with many other cookie-cutter entertainers. He would say that his gift is more of a result of hard work and dedication than of natural, raw talent. He is humble that way. But we know the truth: Scarypoolparty changed our lives from the very beginning. We don’t always understand his actions or even appreciate his words, but we are never in doubt about how much his music and his authenticity as a human being has affected us. I know I don’t doubt how he changed my life for the better. His music healed me and his humanity gave me hope.
Comments