Music That Speaks for Those Who Can Not!

Per: 3 Date: 5/14/14

The power of music can impact a whole society, with just a couple words from the heart, and a melody of hope. When an artist, musician, or the entire group reaches fame; everything that group does ,music wise, is being heard around the world by people of all ages. In this case, many groups internationally come together to address the issue of Amnesty. The Amnesty Concert is known for have artist such as; Lauryn Hill, Yoko Ono, and Flaming Lips. These artist and band recently performed in Brooklyn, Nw York, during early February of this year. Overall theme of their concert is to promote the awareness of human rights not being sufficient in other countries.

Music provides an illustration of the author using his or her art with techniques to actively participate in the democratic principles of America. Most of the time song comes from within the ideologies of what the artist will believe is a factor that keeps the world from being its best. In the Amnesty Concert artist do not have to use their own work, Lauryn Hill sang “Ready or Not” which is a 1996 Fugees classic. These songs written by other artist, obviously, have had a positive effect on the performer, which the performer believes it will have the same effect on others. What I love most about the concerts is the artist will use a song to open your mind to a specific suffrage or oppression that is happening in the world, then BAM! Someone who has endured this topic is there speaking to you. For example, “Thank you to all of you who wrote us letters during those two years”......“Those letters helped us to stay alive”....“those who are bold enough and care enough to speak out against injustice and to speak the truth…We have to remember that freedom is not a given, it is something we have to fight for everyday.” (source 1) These words were spoken by women who were released in 2013 after spending two years in penal colonies for “crimes” committed in Russia. Famous artist Madonna introduced them out onto the stage. What you can take from this is, some artist use their fame for activist reasons to bring awareness to a social movement going on everyday.

Most artist usually have a message in their music, to me it is a more detailed for of a genre. In order to be more successful with not just a career, but with that message of theirs; the artist must go beyond just expressing how they feel, open up the subject for others experiences that can relate to what your going to say. This will bring awareness to peoples lives. For example, “Governments around the world are two-faced on torture – prohibiting it in a law, but facilitating it in practice.” (source 2) This is one of the