Should Music Be Political?

You fell asleep in my car I drove the whole time

But that’s okay I’ll just avoid the holes so you sleep fine

I’m driving here I sit

Cursing my government

For not using my taxes to fill holes with more cement

21 pilots, tear in my heart

If I had one cent for every love song that ever existed, I would be very very very rich. We’re quite used to artists expressing their love for a significant other, their grandmother, their cat or the weather; but we don’t realize how it can be used to shape our attitudes towards our country, or how it can help us be more aware of systems that needs changing.

But not a lot of (local) artists use their music to address anything political? Why?

Perhaps because the last time someone made a song filled with negative innuendo, he got kicked out of the country. Banished, abandoned even. We don’t talk about him in public, ever, terrified that we would follow the same fate - that we would be banished, abandoned, even, for having an opinion. But it’s been many years now, we also have a new government that claims it is new, would I then get into trouble for shedding light on this artist? Negarakuku by NameWee has sparked crazy controversy, got him banned from entering his homeland, forbidden to unite with his family. (He recently released a new single about stray dogs. Cry).

Let’s dive in a little deeper - how is there / can there be a relationship between the music industry and politics?

Politics & Music in the West

Let’s talk about Taylor Swift and her colourful music video - You Need to Calm Down. The internet rages in anger, awe and envy: her posts / songs are politic… *gasp* political… she just ended her career with that post… 

I don’t really know why it’s such a surprise when celebrities in Hollywood are often quite vocal with their stances. You have Mariah Carrey, Oprah Winfrey, Jimmy Kimmel (and many more) reminding everyone to vote. Here’s a list of celebrities who voted for Obama and Romney. And here is Katy Perry getting slammed for making a joke about her black hair and Obama. These people are in positions of huge influences, have the autonomy and freedom to declare what they believe in and are made accountable for everything they say. 

Artists in the (wild, wild) West have the liberty to use their music and platform to advocate for positive transformations and to call out the government. Why don’t we?

I have a playlist on Spotify named “Angsty Teenage Vibes”, at one point I’m pretty sure I had an emo-nemo playlist as well. Songs I’d listen to as I lie on the floor and stare at the ceiling, cry at absolutely nothing. Point being, music makes us feel things we never intended to feel. It gives us chills, it makes us feel like we’re going through a breakup when we’re pretty happy and content with our lives. F e e l s, y’know?

Source: Pinterest

Do you hear the people sing? Singing a song of angry men? It is the music of a people Who will not be slaves again! When the beating of your heart Echoes the beating of the drums There is a life about to start When tomorrow comes!

We can also feel patriotic through music. In high school, I had to sing Negaraku every single morning. It was a very serious matter to audibly declare your love for your nation, so much so that teachers or prefects would observe the movement of your lips and threaten to have the entire audience re-sing the whole song if they think our patriotism wasn’t ‘loud' enough. We roll our eyes, we slouch, we mumble along to the song... But when Lee Chong Wei wins a badminton match and we see the Jalur Gemilang slowly ascend and take its place in the stadium, we sing along in a harmonious, resounding, glorious  roar - with tears in our eyes. 

The national anthem, unlike other symbols that are more static, comes to life through the performance. Through the sociocultural and historical context, it is then filled with meaning that transcends the words, notes or silences. This is then interpreted and reconstructed by the listeners - who might be performers themselves.

Our music represent our culture. Our culture inspires our music. 

A perfect example? (Oppa Gangnam Style) Yuna! 

Music & Culture

A study observes how music is the channel in which people maintain or transform their ethnic identities and culture through diaspora situations. 

"Music is a constitutive part of culture and hence is important for individual and social identity formation.”

- The role of music in ethnic identity formation in diaspora: a research review

The review suggests that music can act as a glue - to strengthen the identity or cohesion of a group. It basically reminds you of home. In the face of political, religious or social tension, music can unite people. We put our differences aside, sit around the campfire and share this common expressive musical session. 

In another study, the researchers compares “patriotic” and “protest” songs amongst an Israeli population. Interestingly, it was found that patriotic songs incite a sense of pride amongst right-wingers but protesty songs made them feel shame / fear of social disintegration. On the other hand, amongst left-wingers, protest music led them to be more gung-ho about the rights to freely express themselves.

So if you’re getting butthurt over a song that is ‘political’, it shows your political orientation and essentially the values you hold onto. It’s interesting. 

There’s a whole bunch of studies looking into the intertwining relationship of song and politics. You can learn about the resistance of cultural homogeneity in Brazil through music, the relationship between rap and race in France or technobanda (I’m not quite sure what that is but there’s research on it as well). There are theories that I honestly don’t bother reading, but I’d just like you to know that there is a whole pool of research related to these topics if you’re interested.

It is a platform. A platform to express. I’m sure many artists in other areas of the world have already utilised platforms to spread awareness, s t a y w o k e. Perhaps there are local artists that are already voicing out their concerns through their music; I just wouldn’t know because I am so so so far from the music scene that exists in Malaysia.

But perhaps, with the new government, people will have more freedom to express themselves through such platforms. Perhaps the next time a Malaysian sings about our lacks as a nation - when someone raps about corruption, or when someone rhymes poems about the marginalisation -  he/she will not be banned from coming home. 

Writing a love song? Maybe you can try something different this time.