How To Truly Perform

Performing is not something only done on stage. Peformance is how you apply yourself in every situation: interviews, work, ..life itself is a long performance. It is an artform to work to perfect, (although by its nature no one ever will.) Performance at its best is done for the audience and not for oneself. 

   Understand this as an entertainer (time to whip out the soap box.) 

    Recently the Grammy's were on as a spectacle of what performance should NOT be. I couldn't care less about the award shows, but as someone in the business it is good to pay attention so as to realize two things.

     Firstly, the winners show us who the most powerful leaders of the industry want to shove down our throats, and secondly, the performances show us who the singers truly are and what we can learn from them. 

    We saw ridiculous selfish spectacles done, not for us, but to try and push themselves further into popularity, to be talked about. Katy Perry, for example, did not do what she did because she thought it was wonderful and the best performance she could give, it was done to be remembered and only that. Obviously we work to be remembered, as is our nature, but the difference lies in your motive: Are you trying to be remembered for being remarkable and furthering your artform, innovating and creating a powerful masterpiece that all can benefit from? Or is it to trend on Twitter?? 

However, there were some exceptional  performances among the Grammy's monotony. John Legend is a pure singer, a classic show relying on nothing but his music. Pink's entire performance was astonishing, doin' something never done before which takes immense work and talent (not a publicity stunt) and then absolutly KILLING "Just Give Me A Reason" with the equally talented Nate Ruess. 

And there were a few more. The one that really taught me something, inspired me, and made me rethink how I perform was on another level, though. The outsiders at the awards: Kendrick Lamar: who is bringing competition back to the rap game (an amazing talent - although I am dissapointed still with direction of rap - I think the pendulum may be swinging back) and Imagine Dragons: who refuse to be put in a box or put out low quality music (yet)- who totally annihilated that stage! 

Let me explain. It wasn't the vocals, words, or spectacle but simply the uninhibited pure passion.

  Although, the music itself, orchestration and execution, was absolutely stunning, the performance told the story of the song, increasing its power, not the other way around. The drums were something we have never seen before, how the two worked together letting each other lift up the other, just a total giving of themselves to the audience. I could feel their power. They didn't care so much about being perfect they just laid it on the line giving us something we never saw before . Two different worlds collided to make something incredible.

    The band wearing all white just ballin and the show ending with Kendrick trying to put a hole in the drum (im about to run through a wall sitting here)....that is how it is done. This is how to perform, but... don't confuse yourself. Kendrick Lamaar didn't harness this any better than Nat King Cole or Frank Sinatra or Elvis Presley. Its not about copying their actual performances but realizing why they are doing it and their devotion to each song. Elvis loved the music and the people he surrounded himself so much that they often spent all night jammin' just for themselves.

Are you embodying your song truly and deeply in your fiber, projecting your deepest self to public in the form of our greatest gift for communication, music? Answer this question and improve.

 I asked everyone to post a phenomenal performance here is mine:

 Here is another of mine-an old school performer he sung danced, acted, and was a comedian. Notice how he worked the crowd.

Here's Taryn's: This is Jennifer Holliday in her Tony Awards performance of "And I'm Telling You." This is another example of a true performance because this woman put her whole self into this performance. She gave everything she possibly had a made the audience feel what she was feeling in every word and action on that stage.

Here's Tasia's:

Teara: I could easily have gone with any Justin Nozuka video, but one reason I chose this one is because I love what he says in the beginning, "...This is one of the first honest songs that I wrote..." When he sings he bears his very soul to the audience and it is honesty; pure, raw honesty. When I watch this performance I feel as if he is sharing the deepest part of himself, and it is so beautiful and powerful it almost instantly brings tears. That's what makes a performance for me: the courage and honesty to bare your soul through song. And although there are plenty of different and just as "good," I do not believe there are any better displays of soul than this.

Jorne:...................