Music Maturity (Is she too young for this?)


First and foremost, I hope everyone had a HAPPY THANKSGIVING! I’m still bloated the next day. I’ll be moving around by rolling for the weekend.



Billie Eilish
I like to think that I’m a lenient parent. My wife and I try not to hover, or over parent. The downside is that sometimes I question whether or not what my eldest daughter is doing/seeing/hearing is appropriate for a seven year old. This is never more evident than her choices in music. Trading in the more traditional kiddie pop radio songs for more adult themes ranging from rock to rap to reggae.

First and foremost the lyrics themselves come to mind. There are some songs she gets and some she doesn’t. There’s been plenty of discussion, and some artists, no matter the talent, have been strongly discouraged. For example, my wife and I both prefer that Avari avoids Billie Eilish songs. She is obviously skilled at her art, yet her lyrics such as this from “Bury a Friend”,

“Step on the glass, staple your tongue
Bury a friend, try to wake up
Cannibal class, killing the son


Bury a friend, I wanna end me

I wanna end me

I wanna, I wanna, I wanna… end me…”


So, while the song may or may not literally be about harm or suicide, it did result in Avari asking, “What does, ‘I wanna end me’ mean?”

Her current obsession is the Gorillaz. An animated band that’s fronted by Blur frontman, Damon Albarn. The first album dropped in 2001. I was in high school, and quickly became a fan myself. 


Gorillaz
Obviously the flashy cartoon graphics pull a seven year old in quickly. However, she was soon listening to songs on my old CD’s and our Google Home devices. Are their bad lyrics? Definitely. Their first single, “Clint Eastwood” is about a drug trip.

“I ain’t happy, I’m feeling glad
I got sunshine in a bag
I’m useless but not for long
The future is coming on
I ain’t happy, I’m feeling glad
I got sunshine in a bag
I’m useless but not for long
The future is coming on…”


The difference between this and say the previously mentioned “Bury a Friend”? How on the nose the meaning is. Hell, “Clint Eastwood” was featured in the Trolls movie. The lyrics are much more simple to pass over. In a weird way, the more mature context makes the song more appropriate for a child.

Lead singer, 2D, made from Perler Beads!
As for the literal words themselves, I have no problems with my children hearing swear words. They’re going to hear them anyways. As long as it’s not gratuitous, and as long as they don’t begin using them. So far, Avari has been excellent. A few months ago she was copying me, so I dropped an “S” bomb in the middle of a sentence to try to stop her. She inadvertently said it, and started crying uncontrollably for accidentally cursing. I felt both terrible and reassured.

Avari really enjoys live music as well. Though, she’s only been to two. Granted one was an all day music festival.

At 5 years old, she went through a fairly strong obsession with the band, Bleachers, which is headed by popular producer, and former Fun. guitarist, Jack Antonoff. 

From their “Don’t Take the Money” music video
For her birthday she wanted to head down to Brooklyn for an autograph signing, which happened to have a surprise acoustic performance. You, know how to get a fan for life? He let her sit on the stage, and gave her the set list and a guitar pick at the end of the set. She got to get some autographs and pictures, while also meeting Jack’s wonderfully nice family.


Receiving the Set list and Pick! 
Shadow of the City!
A few months later we drove down to the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey for the “Shadow of the City” festival. Which was headed by, you guessed it, Bleachers. She got to see eight hours or so of live music from local indie bands to Khalid, Andrew Mcmahon In the Wilderness, and finally Bleachers.

Throughout the day, she got to also see some fundraising events. Her favorite being the dunk tank, where she managed to dunk Antonoff’s father! She also, got to interact with a variety of people, who were all happy to see a young child enjoying the arts. This young child also, didn’t know that thing they were smoking was marijuana, or that some where obviously feeling good from some other substances. The scent of weed in the air was easy to discern, but if she did notice a smell, she never mentioned it.


I personally feel like these are moments that she can take with her the rest of her life. The experiences and memories created, along with the chance to meet so many other people with so many alternative lifestyles who can offer so much of the world outside of our little city outweighs any negative impact that being exposed to so much at so young could possibly, maybe, have.

Even when I have my doubts, I guess the best I can do is trust my intuition, and most of all trust in her.

What do you think? Our we too lenient, or is more freedom to explore the arts important?

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I made a promise to play Roblox this morning…






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