Sia's "Chandelier" music video

Have you seen the music video for Sia's Chandelier choreographed by fabulous LA resident Ryan Heffington? I think it's amazing. I didn't know much about Sia or her work before seeing this video. She's a singer-songwriter and apparently it's the first single she has put out in four years. Both the song and the music video feel very personal to me: like she's exposing herself, even without physically appearing the music video. Sia has been public about her experience with drug and alcohol abuse, and the lyrics speak to a woman struggling with fame and spiraling out of control. The young dancer in the video sports a blond wig that closely resembles Sia's signature style. To me, this all means that this video is a representation of mental instability and addiction. The dancer is manic, at time frantic, always moving, often bizarre, sometimes beautiful, alluring, disturbing. The small and dilapidated apartment further conveys a sense of sickness and despondency. Is the apartment supposed to represent the narrator's mind? I personally choose not to take it so literally, but I could believe it.

I've heard some questioning of whether it was appropriate to use a young girl as a dancer within the context of a very adult subject matter. I think it works very well here. The dancer isn't doing anything inappropriate for a child. And I think it adds something to the emotions being conveyed. The innocence juxtaposes with the sense of danger to make you worried for her, a valid feeling when watching someone emotionally implode. And it just adds to the other-worldly, impressionistic feel of the video which again works well for something that really is like performance art. Well done everyone involved! This video has stuck with me for days now and I don't think I'll be able to shake it anytime soon.

What's the future of opera?

While I am not a "music person", being married to a composer means I know a lot of people who are passionate about music and involved in it professionally. This last weekend I found myself at a dinner party hosted by a librettist and an photographic artist, and attended by two composers, a retired opera director, and an architectural writer (I was the only one there not in "the arts"). It was a great evening and there was lots of wonderful discussion around art and the nature of being an artist (my favorite quote of the evening: "It's an art trench not a war trench"). But the conversation naturally made it's way to opera and the future of this particular art form. 

Do you enjoy opera? Have you ever seen one? We were lucky enough to have a connection at the LA Opera and through them we were able to score some tickets to two wonderful operas. I loved them but understand why they aren't everyone's thing. For me, the music was beautiful, the costumes and set design stunning, and the skill of the performers mesmerizing. But they do tend to be long, and the stories aren't very modern, and tickets tend to be very expensive. The cost is one of the big problems in opera at the moment. It costs a lot to put on an opera so the tickets to see an opera are expensive. But, this restricts the viewership and makes opera something only for the elite. In this way opera's business model is not sustainable and therefore opera is in a crisis.

But there is hope. The Metropolitan Opera has tried to make their performances more accessible by doing HD broadcasts into movie theaters. And D and I went to the incredible "Invisible Cities" performance here in LA. It was amazing. It was an opera, but performed at our train station while it was open and in use. And the whole performance was mobile: the singers were placed throughout the station, often in modern garb so they blended in until they started performing, and viewers wore headsets that allowed them to walk through the station and come upon various scenes being played out. It was self directed and it that way was very immersive. And juxtaposing the music against the happenings of a major train station at 8pm on a Friday night was unique. It has forever changed the way I look at Union Station.

Invisible Cities was a new and modern take on opera. The cost to put on the performance was less than if they had done it in the opera house, the ticket cost was affordable, and it was interesting to all sorts of people (those new to opera and hard-core opera fans). If opera can continue to move in this direction I think it will have a chance.

Image of Invisible Cities performance via.

Inspired movement

I love dance in all it's forms. Ever since I was a kid watching musicals I have found it to be a beautiful and engaging form of expression. It can be fun or serious, dramatic or subtle. And employed well it can certainly be moving.

That's why I love the work of the art troupe WIFE. I was lucky enough to meet the founders of the troupe here in LA a few years ago before they formed their group, and I have been eagerly following their careers ever since. The first WIFE piece I had exposure to was their video for a piece called "The Grey Ones" (the top video). It's such a simple idea, using projections on bodies, but executed so well that I find it completely beautiful and intoxicating. They have done a live version as well and I would so love to see it performed in-person! One of their more recent collaborations is on a video for The Acid which you can watch below. Another simple concept that they manage to make spellbinding.

With our current culture of over-stimulation and immediate access to everything so much can feel derivative. What I love about WIFE is that their work feels genuine and unique. It's a modern take on dance and art that seems to focus on creating an experience for the viewer. For me, watching their work means being taken on an emotional journey. And isn't that one of the goals of art?

The Thicke dilemma

I'm definitely a little behind in terms of pop culture. I keep up with the headlines but that's about it. I'm of course heard of Robin Thicke, I know about his racy performance with Miley Cyrus, I've read blog articles about the controversy around his song "Blurred Lines" and accompanying video. But turns out, I had never actually heard the song before this weekend.

As I'm getting ready for my next haircut this weekend I watched the cute video Garance made after she decided to chop it all off. Along with admiring her cut I was really digging the song she used. In an attempt to find the name of the song I searched the comments on the video which led me to discover that this was in fact the infamous "Blurred Lines"! What?! This song was so pop-y and catch-y, how could it be the "rape-y" song I've heard so much about. This led me to also watch the video (both versions). So now I had a dilemma. The song was stuck in my head, but do i download it?

The videos I didn't have a problem with. Yes there are mostly naked women strutting around clothed men. But that doesn't offend me. I have no problem with nudity, and nothing was sexually explicit. Seemed fairly mild or at least on par with other music videos, and I was actually much more put-off by Kanye and Kim's motorcycle antics. but, while the videos were ok, the looked up the lyrics to the song and there was my problem. The words of the song are sung from the male perspective and basically, it's a guy dancing or getting close to a girl and deciding that he knows she wants it. That, based on how she's touching him, she must want sex. There is no indication that she actually wants it, it's all his assumptions. That is kind of creepy and yes "rape-y". But the song still has a good beat!

I asked D is I should buy the song because it's catchy, or I should take a stand and choose to not financially support something that has that sort of message. He asked me how I feel to have the Pepper hear those lyrics. Thinking of her evolving mind absorbing that kind of message helped me decide not to make the purchase. Plus, if I have a longing for the song I can always go and listed to Marvin Gaye :)

Image from the "Blurred Lines" video via.

Living in Abundance

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday I am of course thinking about the things I am thankful for. And I decided today that what I am most thankful for right now is Dolly Parton. Let me explain...

Because I'm happy!

As a resident of dowtown Los Angeles I am in love with Pharrell's new music video for "Happy". In the video Pharrel walks (and dances!) his way through LA involving what look to be local residents. The video has such a great genuine feel to it, and I think it speaks to what it feels like to walk the streets of my city. I think this video is a wonderful representation of LA urban culture. And if you want more, there is actually a 24 hours version you can watch here.

A happy instrument

"The banjo is such a happy instrument--you can't play a sad song on the banjo - it always comes out so cheerful". -Steve Martin

Growing up I never learned to play any sort of instrument. My parents did put me into a number of arts classes but they were the visual arts. Therefore, when I married a musician and I felt there were things about his world I just didn't understand. Also I felt that I needed a hobby. So, I decided to learn to play an instrument. Enter the banjo.