On the twenty fifth of June this past summer the whole world mourned the loss of the incredibly talented King of Pop Michael Jackson. There will never be another performer, another dancer, another musician, another entertainer, another man like him ever. The whole world was his stage; it seemed as if the whole world was his number one fan. We had to say good bye to the incredible artist who had fans who stretched all across the globe, a man who changed the music industry and has influenced everyone during his lifetime and will continue to influence others here after. That unfortunate day, he reportedly went into cardiac arrest on Thursday afternoon and was rushed to UCLA Medical center where they tried to revive him. His death has been covered extensively in the media and he has been memorialized across the globe.
As an artist, Michael Jackson was the consummate performer who, once he stepped on stage, any stage at any country around the world, he would transform into an impresario who captivated us with his performances. As an individual, Michael Jackson remained a mystery to many of us, perhaps more so now at the event of his passing than ever before in his life. He perplexed us with his eccentricities, and his personal life often remained too ambiguous for even his most genuine fans to understand. There are few words that could describe the feeling that he has given to so many. When I think of him I will think of how mesmerized I was at the precision of his dance – I could not help being enchanted by him as an entertainer.
Since the day of his passing, many have followed the latest news about Micheal. There was certainly no lack of attention in the media concerning the death of our greatest performer. While it was often noted in the media that he had a significant amount of debt, he was able to gain a substantial amount of money from the recent rapid sales of his songs online. With the availability of songs from music websites and the rise in sales of his music and related memorabilia, Michael Jackson could very well become the top celebrity to earn significant amounts of money after his death. Saturday August 29 would have been his fifty first birthday.
Of course there were his skeptics who did not appreciate all of the attention that he received during the past summer months, and did not understand all of the time, consideration, and celebration fans of Michael Jackson put into honoring his life. Those critics cannot deny that he is a part of American history; he was the greatest entertainer that we have known. Despite all of the critics he had, he was still able to thrive and continued to influence the world, and I greatly admire him for that.
Reflecting on his life as an entertainer brings up memories of when I was a little girl and how fascinated and at the same time frightened my four or five year old self was when I saw his “Thriller” video for the first time. I’ll always feel excited when I hear the beginning tune of “Remember the Time,” be blissful listening to “Human Nature,” and get butterflies in my stomach over that titled song itself. I will be an admirer of all of his songs and performances which he himself put his soul into and will continue to bless the world forever. You are beloved Michael Jackson may your spirit thrive, may you find peace and understanding, and your heart remain forever ours, and forever yours – Always.
Michael Jackson August 29 1958-June 25 2009.
Cierra Saunders is a sophmore at West Chester University majoring in English. She can be reached at CS659995@wcupa.edu.