An artist is a channeler of creativity. As they grow as musicians, they begin to explore outside their usual styles in order to push themselves further and optimize their potential. Sometimes, this does not succeed as they alienate their fans and grow more distant from what made them reach stardom in the first place. However, many fans embrace this new twist and appreciate their versatility in the infinite bounds of music.
David Bowie was a legendary musician whose music resonated with multiple generations due to his experimental style and overflowing creativity. In 1969, he elevated to popularity through his song “Space Oddity”, an existential rock-and-roll lullaby laced with different interpretations ranging from breakups to drug overdoses, presenting a compelling writing style appealing to various minds.
But as the decade of music changed, he changed.
He was a pioneer of rock-and-roll and grunge in the 70s before experimenting with electronic music and jazz in the 80s with his album Blackstar. He progressed to electronic and pop styles in his Let’s Dance LP, constructing a blueprint for future dance music. He continued in the fields of funk, R&B. and even rap, influencing a myriad of artists who would sample his music for their own beats and rhythms.
Not only did his music change, but so did his appearance. He is widely-known for his over-the-top and flamboyant appearances and is nicknamed “The Pop Chameleon” from his always-changing fashion style.
It is very rare to have an artist represent a series of genres and personas but it’s something David Bowie was able to pioneer and artists of such versatility are still found today.
Donald Glover, or famously known by his stage name, Childish Gambino, is a writer, actor, comedian, and musician. He’s been in shows such as NBC’s 30 Rock, dominated the stage as a comedian in Comedy Central, and will be starring in the 2018 Star Wars spinoff film. He’s been all around and is very much a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to artistry but he is currently most known as a rapper and musician.
Childish Gambino’s 2013 mixtape, Because the Internet, was highly-praised for its poetic structure, meaningful lyrics, and eclectic beats. These songs possess clever and word-dense rap with melancholic vibes, giving Gambino an identity and niche in the rap game. From this, he quickly rose as a formidable rap artist but surprised everyone in his newest album that just released a few days ago, Awaken, my Love - an album with absolutely no rapping at all.
Instead, the album is very soulful, possessing a trippy 70s funk rock style that highlights Gambino’s incredible singing and versatility. It’s one thing to shift to a different structure or variation of music but funk rock is very distant when it comes to the realm of rap.
An artist’s mind is always weaving to something greater. They’ll travel and wander from the deepest of forests to the most populated cities in order to seek inspiration and discover themselves. With such broad spectrums existing in music, they can flex through a variety of genres if their talents have developed to such a degree. While David Bowie and Childish Gambino have shown their versatility, there are numerous artists who have and will do the same.
They’ll keep your mind wandering, they’ll make you stay on your toes, and they’ll take your breath away so expect the unexpected when it comes to such a broad medium as music.
