Kiss FM can Kiss my A***
As you all know by now, G-Vo did not win Kiss FM's breakout star competition. Regardless of the fact that my band was the best act of the night, KISS FM decided to stage the entire event. They showcased their very own band and let them win - it was so obvious. It caused many agitated fans and supporters of all the bands present. People were very disappointed that KISS FM would be so juvenile and predictable. Once again, the music industry shows its ugly face. Yet again, real art gets trumped by capitalistic tendencies, corporate greed, predetermined winners, and selfish gain. Kiss FM blatantly advertised the event as a "contest" to get the artists to do all the promotional work for them, knowing fully well who they were going to select.
I am not surprised one bit. I wanted it so badly. I wanted to win. As a musician, you have to put faith in almost everything, and nothing at the same exact time. The thing that could be another waste of time can be the same thing that changes the trajectory of your career. Everything is a gamble. Everyday seems to bring its distinct newness, and most days bring along its unique anxieties. Losing is so sour - and it gets even more sour the more people justify the sting of defeat. I don't believe in losing. I don't believe in 2nd place. I don't believe in being almost good enough.
Tavis Smiley said something interesting the other day. He said that worth and value is something that other people place on you - it's not real until someone else says what you are worth. A bottle of coke isn't worth anything until someone pays for it. If no one pays for it, it's worth nothing. Kiss FM told me that I wasn't worth anything. They told me that you can only win their events if you are sponsored by them, and if you are blond and white.
The music industry is a piece of garbage. They continually treat artists like they are worth nothing. Yet somehow, I have to deem myself valuable. Something has to give me value. If I don't get value from Someone or Something, I am indeed useless. I am indeed a creation in futility.
I woke up the following morning and was reminded in Psalm 16:
I say to the Lord: "You are my Lord, apart from you I have no good thing."
When you have no good thing apart from God, then emotions just last for the time being. The bitter sting of defeat is as short-lived as the joy of a cheap win. If Kiss FM chose me, I have no good thing apart from God. If Kiss FM made me a millionaire, I have no good thing apart from God. Win or lose, I have no good thing apart from the Lord. Sometimes the lesson ends there. Nothing more; nothing less.
Peace, and much love to you - John Baptist!
I am not surprised one bit. I wanted it so badly. I wanted to win. As a musician, you have to put faith in almost everything, and nothing at the same exact time. The thing that could be another waste of time can be the same thing that changes the trajectory of your career. Everything is a gamble. Everyday seems to bring its distinct newness, and most days bring along its unique anxieties. Losing is so sour - and it gets even more sour the more people justify the sting of defeat. I don't believe in losing. I don't believe in 2nd place. I don't believe in being almost good enough.
Tavis Smiley said something interesting the other day. He said that worth and value is something that other people place on you - it's not real until someone else says what you are worth. A bottle of coke isn't worth anything until someone pays for it. If no one pays for it, it's worth nothing. Kiss FM told me that I wasn't worth anything. They told me that you can only win their events if you are sponsored by them, and if you are blond and white.
The music industry is a piece of garbage. They continually treat artists like they are worth nothing. Yet somehow, I have to deem myself valuable. Something has to give me value. If I don't get value from Someone or Something, I am indeed useless. I am indeed a creation in futility.
I woke up the following morning and was reminded in Psalm 16:
I say to the Lord: "You are my Lord, apart from you I have no good thing."
When you have no good thing apart from God, then emotions just last for the time being. The bitter sting of defeat is as short-lived as the joy of a cheap win. If Kiss FM chose me, I have no good thing apart from God. If Kiss FM made me a millionaire, I have no good thing apart from God. Win or lose, I have no good thing apart from the Lord. Sometimes the lesson ends there. Nothing more; nothing less.
Peace, and much love to you - John Baptist!
> The music industry is a piece of garbage. They continually treat artists like they are worth nothing.
ReplyDeleteOn iTunes, there are 100 or so categories for music from past decade. There is one category for music from the past millenium - it's called classical.
A friend asked me if I would ever do what I do in the Christian music industry. I said, "Never. Not ever. It is content to be segregated, racist, and to resemble a capitalist, exploitative machine." The whole industry is like this, we know.
ReplyDeleteBut this is why we have the chance to create something completely other, to be something completely other. In fact, we must; for it is the only way we can communicate with our souls and our lives that we have NO GOOD apart from our covenant, promise-keeping, Abba Father God.