Written by Imani Wj Wright
When a creator develops a piece of art, they may have somewhat of a gauge on how the public will respond to it. Then again, others also create without any preconceived reactions. And I'm not referring to any specific kind of work. This applies to fashion, visual art, music... just to name a few. Being that artists do not have complete control over one's interaction with a piece, the manner in which it is perceived- varies.
In John Berger's book and BBC series, Ways of Seeing, Berger describes the impact that photography and mass printing have had on the way we view paintings. A key concept that he brings forth involves the environments that paintings were once created to be seen in. For example, you don't have to travel to the Louvre Museum in order to view the iconic Mona Lisa. You can view it from the comfort of whatever screen you're looking at right now, and that in itself has an affect on how you view art. Just as that is true, while listening to Fidelis' latest track, "Want This," depending on your environment and where you are in life, it can grab you in several ways.
I've been playing "Want This" for the past day, and intensely the past hour. Fidelis' tranquil and melodic voice can bring you great levels of calmness and piece. He creates a vocal soundscape that is inviting. But if you let your mind drift in the wrong direction, it is also easy to calculate moments of somber. He sings: "Should I give it all up? Maybe I'll change my bad luck. I live with all my demons. Feels like it's never enough. Can I not just give in?" Those lyrics can be just as inspirational as they are borderline defeating. However, that is the beauty of this piece. It's dynamic, thought-provoking, and full of emotion- from the vocals, to the instrumentation. I'm about to give it a few more spins.
Check it out:
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