Unlike other music lovers, I’ve never been averse to change. Sure, sometimes an artist’s change in style seems unnecessary, but I believe change can be a positive force, as it allows a previously unremarkable artist to unlock their full potential or allow an already great artist to reach greater heights.
For an example of the former, we have Bruno Mars. Making his debut back in 2010, Mars initially struck me as someone a bit too far on the "technician" side of Technician vs. Performer. On a technical level, he was a talented musician, but his songs (at least, the ones where he was the main artist) lacked a certain appeal. Most of his songs were either tooth-rottingly saccharine and sappy ("Just the Way You Are," "The Lazy Song") or obnoxiously whiny and mopey ("Grenade" and "It Will Rain.")
Then in the mid-2010s, something changed. Suddenly, he swapped the acoustic instruments with a more technological sound, and his vulnerability gave way to an infectious confidence and Devil-may-care bombast. It was now that Bruno Mars began making fun, powerful dance jams like "Locked Out of Heaven," "Uptown Funk," "24k Magic," and "What I Like." These songs were an unashamed revival of 70s funk and disco but with enough of a modern edge to be more than just a throwback. And Bruno himself seems freer while performing them, like he's more genuinely himself playing these hits than the mind-numbing pabulum he was making before.
In short, Bruno Mars stands as a testament that we should never be afraid of change. I’m still not totally sure how he went from "The Lazy Song" to "Uptown Funk," but I’m glad it happened when it did.
Quite a Remarkable Transformation
Unlike other music lovers, I’ve never been averse to change. Sure, sometimes an artist’s change in style seems unnecessary, but I believe change can be a positive force, as it allows a previously unremarkable artist to unlock their full potential or allow an already great artist to reach greater heights.
For an example of the former, we have Bruno Mars. Making his debut back in 2010, Mars initially struck me as someone a bit too far on the "technician" side of Technician vs. Performer. On a technical level, he was a talented musician, but his songs (at least, the ones where he was the main artist) lacked a certain appeal. Most of his songs were either tooth-rottingly saccharine and sappy ("Just the Way You Are," "The Lazy Song") or obnoxiously whiny and mopey ("Grenade" and "It Will Rain.")
Then in the mid-2010s, something changed. Suddenly, he swapped the acoustic instruments with a more technological sound, and his vulnerability gave way to an infectious confidence and Devil-may-care bombast. It was now that Bruno Mars began making fun, powerful dance jams like "Locked Out of Heaven," "Uptown Funk," "24k Magic," and "What I Like." These songs were an unashamed revival of 70s funk and disco but with enough of a modern edge to be more than just a throwback. And Bruno himself seems freer while performing them, like he's more genuinely himself playing these hits than the mind-numbing pabulum he was making before.
In short, Bruno Mars stands as a testament that we should never be afraid of change. I’m still not totally sure how he went from "The Lazy Song" to "Uptown Funk," but I’m glad it happened when it did.