I think in the end, music speaks differently to different people of varying backgrounds, living environments, education, degrees of affluence and cultures.
Imagine your regular kopi auntie and likely she will hear 'Adagio For Strings' and say something like "Why so sad this song?" or "Wah, this song make me want to sleep lor. Mai lah, I don't want to listen!", right? :mrgreen:
But take the same person (the kopi auntie) and imagine her as an audience in a getai and listening to the late Chen Jinlang, singing her favorite songs from her adolescence and bring back memories of her loves and her experiences in her own life, maybe triggering a flood of emotions.
In short, the getai music, maybe kitsch to us younger folks, speaks to this kopi auntie in ways nobody can explain.
So, music is subjective (duh!).
I'd go further to say that I seriously think that there are people who don't even care for music.
After that, there are people who think that music is somewhat 'dispensable' or that anybody can create music, which is why people don't think twice about stealing music and downloading a musician's hard work for free whenever they can. Everyone of us is guilty of this, I believe, at some point of time.
Another thing is, I don't understand why some of us musicians look down on mainstream music.
The thing is, as long as the music presented and performed achieves the desired effect, whether positive or not, on the audience and the listener, then why is it bad?
The truth is many of us appreciate the simplicity of the things we want in life. Amidst the drudgery, the complexities of living as a human being, the responsibilities etc. - music represents an opportunity for us to escape, to dream, about anything. For some, it seems superficial, but for some, it is a real need.
You can't deny that you are likely to be drawn to a musician who looks good and is charismatic, while satisfying the basic requirement of playing his instrument with acceptable proficiency, because the human mind doesn't just work on one aspect alone but a multitude, to achieve any emotion. It all has to gel together seamlessly.
So, I think, at the end of the day - music has to be written with sincerity and not just with the sole objective of making money or become famous or renowned for excellent instrument proficiency.
Music and performing is after all about touching people.
And you can touch so many different kinds of people in so many different ways.
