Honest Music

Happy New Year, everyone! How is your 2016 going so far? You guys have resolutions, or are you not into that kind of thing? I have a few that I've set for myself. Some are for this blog. Like, I've not used a single gif this whole time I've been posting (which has been about 6 months). So, I'm gonna try to use gifs this year. *scrolls around on Pinterest and can't find many that fit in this post* Another of my goals is to write more about things that I have an opinion on... "At least 3" is what I wrote in my journal. And the last goal is to post about spiritual things. I haven't done a single one that involves faith yet, and I really want to post one soon. Any topic ideas for that one?

But today, this post is not all about my New Year's Resolutions.

A while back when I did The Song Tag I talked about doing a post about "honest music", and explaining to you guys what that means in my opinion. This is going to be my first post where I actually express my opinion throughout the whole thing on just one topic, so bear with me.

First, we have to start at what true talent means. For me, using your talent in a way you love and not just what you know everyone else will love is the way to truly effect people. I look around at famous creative people (artists, actors, writers etc.) and think, "This is great, but I know you don't mean it. I know you aren't putting your whole heart into it, and thus, the effect it could have on me isn't as great as it could be. Why don't you show us what you truly love or are truly feeling, and you will be a lot happier along with the people who connect with you on it?"

Sure, you can have a great voice, and you could write an abundance of songs that millions of people like, but why spend your time on it if you're not in love with it as well?

I see this a lot in the music industry, especially in the Christian genre. Instead of hearing people express things that sound like they mean it, I hear them singing things just because they know people will think it's a good song. What I usually want to hear in Christian music is either an artist directly praising and worshiping God, or telling about a struggle that they're going through but that they know God will help them with in the end. What I don't want to hear are songs about how great it is that nothing that we do matters because Jesus has already won the war. I'm not saying that I don't agree that He has already died for everything we will ever do. But at the end of your life when you stand before Him are you really going to want to say, "I lived my life doing whatever I wanted because I knew You already had it all covered"? Wouldn't you rather say, "I stayed away as much as I could from things that I know would hurt You"?

Sorry, I kind of got off topic. Where was I? Oh, yes, Christian music not always sounding real.

The thing is, it's not that it doesn't sound like good music when they do what I don't prefer, it's that it it doesn't sound real - like they mean it. It sounds empty - like they're just singing and hoping that they might somehow make somebody's day better. Which isn't wrong. But is that really what people want to hear, anyway? Something that doesn't say, "I'm singing what I'm feeling, and those who feel the same can join me"?

*gasp*

There it is. That's what I've been trying to say this whole time. It finally made its way out onto the page.

So now that I've got my thoughts properly expressed, do you want some examples of what I think real Christian (or actually any kind of) artists are?

I'm not going to wait for your reply, because I'm assuming that if you've made it this far by now you do want to know.

So, you ready?

Prepare for my super long list.

 

            via GIPHY

Rich Mullins

Colton Dixon

Owl City

Adam & I

And now you're probably screaming. "That's it? That's all you've got? And here I thought you actually had a valid point and were going to recommend some good stuff, but that's really all you have for me? I've never even heard/listened to half of these people before!"

This is all I've got. But I do have a few more words to say about why these artists are in my opinion "honest".

1) I can feel that they mean what they're saying, even if I don't always understand it.

2) They don't care if no one agrees with them; they say what they mean because it's their song. It's between them and God as it should be. After all, they're not singing to anyone other than Him. They're not afraid of being misunderstood or laughed at or completely ignored, because they are using their talent in a real way. 

3) They believe that as long as their true feelings are expressed, it doesn't matter if anyone finds a connection with them; God is the One who knows and they are using their talent for Him because He gave it to them in the first place.

Now before you think that these are the only artists I like and listen to, they're not the only ones. I like a lot of other artists and songs. I just don't always feel like they're being "honest" in their music. Sometimes I feel like some of their songs are, but the majority of them aren't. The ones I've listed, I feel like the majority of their songs are real.

Rich Mullins - A lot of his songs express his feelings of loneliness and his search for God's presence. It may seem dark when I say it like that, but it doesn't feel depressing when I listen to the words of his songs. I feel like I'm stepping into his mind, maybe reading just what he would write in a prayer journal. He is being honest with God. He's not having a horrible day and then coming to God and feeling like he has to push it all aside because God wouldn't want to hear it. He's taking everything to his Maker because he knows that He sees it all, already. 

Colton Dixon - Some of his songs I do feel like he is just trying to sell something that people would like, but most of them I don't. He sings some things that make me feel like his music is a mix of Rich Mullins and Owl City together - there is a certain hint of dreaminess in the same song where he is being serious. You may think that those things don't mix, but just listen to him and see if you can detect it.

Owl City - I don't like all of his songs, either, and I do sometimes feel like he's just saying something because he knows people will enjoy it. I actually feel most like that about his Christian music. But most of the time his music sounds so unique. Most guys don't sing about fairytale stuff or about things in such a poetic way, but Owl City does. I don't understand what he was thinking about when he was writing the words a lot of the time; only he could know what he is thinking. And that's what I like about it. He's being himself. 

Adam & I - This duet is probably the least known on this list. They don't write in a genre that (at least I think) is popular. They aren't big. But maybe it's because they write about the small things. They write about the things that touch and inspire them and don't worry that they'll never be widely known. They're not going to change their style or their words just so that people will know their names.


So there's my opinion. Maybe, in my own way, I'm only making an excuse as to why I feel a connection with certain artists. Maybe there are artists who I don't like but who are being real and I just don't feel the connection. Maybe none of this makes sense. I'll let you decide.

This was my first post about something being "honest", and I've been thinking that I would like to do a little series of "Honest {insert topic}". What do you guys think of that idea? If you have any suggestions for it, please comment and let me know! And don't forget my questions at the top *mentally prods everyone to scroll to the beginning and read said questions* 

And most importantly, what's your opinion? Am I completely wrong? Do you agree with me all the way? Just a little bit? Is there an artist who you think is "honest"? Comment away! I wanna hear from you guys!

auf wiedersehen, darling

- Maddie