Caleb+B’s+Final+AmEx+2013+Speech



=Title of Speech= by Caleb

=Text of Speech=

There are a few things that I love; I love God. I love my family. I love my friends. I love my bed. I love my iPhone. I love music. When the idea of this speech was first brought up in class, my initial response was to write about something different, something unexpected, something super deep that would get everyone thinking about the inner meaning of life. But the more thought that I put into it, the more obvious it became; at this moment in my life, I am most passionate about music.

The American Dream, according to me, is a world where the entire industry surrounding that of which I love, is not completely fake, corrupt, and a whole bunch of BS. Let’s face it, in the year twenty thirteen, you do not need a good voice, or even talent, to be a big pop star. You either need to be one of the forty-fifty people that hold their spot on the Billboard top 100 year round, or you need a record label with way too much money behind you. There is virtually no other way to (quote) “make it”. I don’t care if you’re an amazing vocalist, play every instrument there is and write all of your own songs, which could even happen to be potential chart toppers, if you are not singed by a record label that is pumping hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars into promoting you and your career, forget it. You will not venture far from playing at your local coffee shop or opening for some semi-big act. It is a sad reality that I hate to face.

But if your name happens to be Justin Bieber, you don’t even need a good song to be number one. Most of you could probably guess that right now Justin is proven to be the most famous singer or celebrity in the world. More people know his face and name above any one else. He holds more power and influence than most. Now did you know that this “most famous singer in the entire world” does not sing most of his own headlining arena shows live. That’s right, thousands of people pay hundreds of dollars every night to watch him run around stage for two hours with different dancers, lighting techniques and outfits while lip synching. I would only hope to see a future where famous musicians can at least sing their own material live in front of an audience.

Remember the days of old music, where artists like Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston and bands like the Beatles, Rolling Stones and Beach Boys were celebrated? Well, chances are you probably do not, considering the fact that most of us in this room have not been alive for even two decades, but the fact of the matter is that these musicians were praised for their own real music. For their own vocal, entertaining and writing abilities. Since then, there has been a shift in music as a whole and its identity. There is an overwhelming amount of pop singers who cannot sing like they could, or even sing at all. We have not seen talent like Mariah and Whitney, since Mariah and Whitney. We praise and remember these legends for their gifts, but we have yet to build or find anything like them for generations to come. I hope to see a time where music is appreciated for what it is and should be; music.

Another branch of this industry of which I am familiar with, is that of artificial reality television. It’s been nearly a year since I was directly involved with shows titled “American Idol” and “The X Factor”. Popularity and luck contests or as some would say “singing competitions” like these are easy examples of the scrutiny behind the large music business. I have learned that if you want to make it past even the first of seven audition rounds on these shows, you must be the exact joke act or model that they are looking for. Or more accurately, If you are not the bubbly, 5’6, skinny, blonde haired amateur Taylor Swift with a sob story, or the tall, handsome african american man that resembles Usher, you are “not what they are looking for” and will not advance. I am not afraid to say that like these shows, at times the industry is not much more than a giant casting call. If you do not fit the role, whatever it may be, you have no chance. All too often I hear from industry professionals that someone with a voice equivalent to great names in history like Celine Dion or Mariah Carey audition for American Idol and do not make because they were not what the show was looking for. Wouldn’t it be nice to see a future where talent plays a bigger role in music than luck and image does?

What about pop radio? Something that we can all agree to hate for the over-playing of Rihanna and Bruno Mars songs. We all complain that it plays the same ten songs over and over again, and then we blame the actual radio for ruining songs because they are played so much. Well, what if there was a reason for this? There is. Now-a-days, to have your song played on the radio, it must be a single off of your album, you must be singed by a major record label, and your label must pay three to four hundred thousand dollars for air play. If this doesn’t seem absurd, I don’t know what will. Those large figures will not be put into your career unless you actually are Bruno Mars or Rihanna, so how else can you get your music out there? On an even bigger scale, the same goes for iTunes and Billboard charts, if you’d like to see your song be successful, charted or even promoted, your label better have paid them a few hundred k. I want to live in a world where money does not determine success in music.

Personally, jumping into such an industry at the age of sixteen is a scary thing. And the amount of crap I’ve received from the response of doing so is haunting. I’ve seen a lot behind the scenes, and my only reason for continuing to pursue such a messed up and chaotic field is my passion for what is behind it all. I love to sing. I love to create art in the form of music. In the America that I hope to grow old in, I wish for a more genuine and real music industry. One of which talent can get you somewhere. One of which money is not the ruling and determining force and factor.

And above myself and all else, I hope for an America where no one is afraid to pursue or be judged by what they are passionate about.

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