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.
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| Billie Eilish |
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”,
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.
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| Gorillaz |
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.
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| Lead singer, 2D, made from Perler Beads! |
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.
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| From their “Don’t Take the Money” music video |
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| Receiving the Set list and Pick! |
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| Shadow of the City! |
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?
