Friday 10 January 2014

We Could Be Heroes

As you get older your definition for the word hero changes. When you're young, your hero wears a cape and a mask, saves the day, kills the bad guy, gets the girl. Then the world opens ups, you're introduced to real people who have accomplished incredible things, people that you connect to, that you relate to, not just because they're the latest craze or the thing everyone is talking about.
When I was a child my main hero was Ariel from Disney's The Little Mermaid. So much so that I wanted to be a mermaid when I grew up. I know, before you point out, it's a physical impossibility.  I think part of me longed to be part of something, like Ariel, but I'm sure most of me just wanted long red hair and to be able to go swimming all day. Now I realise that it was youthful wonder and dreaming.
My other heroes from my childhood were mostly pop stars. I loved the Spice Girls, Steps and S Club 7. I collected albums, put up posters and took every opportunity to dress up. I had a short pink sequined dress (a la Baby Spice), and an all white outfit based on Steps' One For Sorrow video. My friends and I would practice dance routines. Every generation has their heroes and it was no different for me. I recently relived my youth and attended a Steps reunion concert and although I had a great time (I remembered all the words and the dance routines), I am now aware of it's cheesiness. At the end of the day, it's manufactured pop.
My musical heroes now are bands like Mumford & Sons, and older artists like David Bowie and The Eagles. Now I admire artists that write and perform their own songs and play instruments. For me, Mumford & Sons was a breath of fresh air, something new, something I'd never heard before. Their lyrics resonate with me and I can spot one of their songs a mile off. I was influenced by my parents' tastes, like The Eagles and motown music. Then I discovered David Bowie, who I adored for his uniqueness and individuality.
I have heroes now in all fields. I'm a lover of fashion, designers, film, theatre, actors, directors, books, writers, photographers... I admire Stephen King for his ability to write heart warming characters and put them in extraordinary situations. I love Tyra Banks trying to change the fashion world. I love Benedict Cumberbatch and his cheekbones.
When I talk to the kids in choir about their heroes the same people pop up time and time again. They love One Direction, which I'm sure they will grow out of in time. They also like Taylor Swift. This is one hero I am happy to support. She writes her own songs, plays a musical instrument,  but she's still too commercial for my own tastes. I try to introduce the kids to different music and the other day we watched the music video for Bowie's Heroes. Several of the children said: 'He looks like a girl!' To which I replied: 'Yes, that's the point.'

This post was inspired by... http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2014/01/10/daily-prompt-hero/

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