Iconic Images # 5

Great artists live forever. Above, a new shot taken by a young French photographer called Arno Bani that is going on auction next December. This was Michael's latest photo shoot and I love it, the result is strikingly beautiful.

Michael Jackson's This Is It movie

The documentary on the preparations for the Michael Jackon's This It It tour has just premiered this week. I got to see it last Saturday and I must say the film is a pleasant surprise. Like almost anyone else, I was expecting to see a sharp edited documentary with MJ going through the motions, tired and frail. These are, after all, the weeks prior to his death, a period of time where he was said to be abusing on medication. But, surprisingly enough, not only the documentary is really low-key in the way it is constructed, but Michael was not in any way diminished in his talents and professionalism.
This is the document you need to see if you want to have the real perception of the talent of this man. What surprised me the most was to be able to see that he was not just an excellent singer and incredible dancer. He was also a musician, and a very rigorous one, very demanding with his band to the point of stopping rehearsals just because the bass line is not good enough (and he promptly beat-boxes with his voice to show the musician how it should sound). He was VERY hands on and it really shows in this film. Very strict yet humble and willing to teach everyone around him his art. Yes, he looked frail, thin. But his voice and dance steps were still dazzling and you wouldn't suspect what was about to unfold. The high moment for me was his rehearsal of Human Nature (a ballad from the Thriller album) where you can see clearly that he is feeling every line of that song and giving all his emotion to every word. I was moved by that, that's raw talent right there if front of you. And it really is such a shame that we lost that. Go see this film if you want to testify it one last time.

About Michael Jackson

Yesterday I went to sleep knowing that Michael Jackson had just passed away. It's surreal for me to see someone so talented (as he was) passing, even more when you're only 50. I grew up listening to his songs and, even tho I disconnected from him a long time a go, his songs are and will always be a part of my life.

I think that, in musical terms, he was a true genius: amazing sense of melody, great voice, unique style (like it or not), great lyrics and outstanding sense of rhythm. His recordings from the 70's to anything he did in 80's are amazing. I also love a lot of what he did in the 90's, he was still on top of his game. And even his humanitarian work, even if presented in the most tacky way possible, seemed to come from the right place.
He defined what it means to be a megastar and you can hardly turn on Mtv nowadays without seeing younger artists redoing what he did (Chris Brown, Usher, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, to name a few). I think history will bring some truth to all the controversy about his personal life. For me, everything that he has been accused of has never been proved in court, while his talent is more than proved and well documented. That's the Michael Jackson we can all relate to and his music will live forever. I am pretty sure that, 20 years from now, everyone will still be dancing everytime they play "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough" at a party.