WIDN blog
Thoughts on Michael Jackson
June 26, 2009
By Theresa Dowling
Well news has broken today of the star’s death. From an editor’s point of view it has dominated the news all day, and despite the shock of anyone’s sudden death, it has left the world grieving and the world weaker. Not a fan myself, but everyone I’ve spoken to today in our architectural and design industry, can’t not mention the MJ word. Sometimes this morning it was difficult to get to the point with you designers, without appearing disrespectful to Michael Jackson.
I’m old enough to remember him singing about a rat. Beautifully. There’s no question that his voice and expression was brilliant, but he’s not alone. There’s many good singers out there. But, for what it’s worth, it was his dancing on Billy Jean that pricked the hairs on the back of my neck. So the persona from a good singer to exalted status is the transformation from pop star to superstar.
He had a pure and controlled voice, but what is it that makes singers into superstars. Can designers be superstars? Would you want to be?
Creativity, how do you measure it? In our industry, certainly in these sober conditions, we have brilliant designers who would refuse exaltation. What do you think?
Let me know …
Theresa
Theresa Dowling is editor of FX Magazine
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