Michael Jackson: The Duality of Stardom

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Michael Jackson was no doubt an exemplary performer who captivated audiences all over the globe with his exceptional voice, precise dance moves, and soft personality. Michael was known for his artistry and dedication to creating music, but he was also known for the questionable way in which he presented himself to the world (Fast 260). Michael Jackson’s long and thrilling career emerged from his success as a youth – the stage, the lights, and the cameras all played a dominant role in his childhood. However, the consequence of his success was a complete lack of normalcy. As every important phase of his life was exposed to be observed and scrutinized by the same audience that fawned over his work, Michael was left feeling vulnerable (Warwick …show more content…

As a child star, this inappropriate amount of exposure to children of Michael’s age became his everyday routine – there is something valuable to audiences about “children presenting themselves like adults” (Warwick 244). The innocence of a young Michael Jackson was also compromised in the way Motown wanted to present him as a crossover star (Warwick 247). While maintaining the appearance of a clean-cut, wholesome young boy, Jackson was also required to ooze sexuality and masculinity as a child evidenced by the types of performances he was in and the songs he sang – these were characteristics that even an adult Michael Jackson had trouble balancing, let alone a prepubescent Michael Jackson who only understood that his job was to entertain (Warwick 246-247). Most notably, Michael’s vocal performance of “Who’s Loving You” demonstrates the stark contrast between a boy who has not yet experienced the intensity of love and heartbreak and a boy who is able to channel the raw emotions that the song requires (Warwick 248). “Who’s Loving You” happens to be one of my favorite songs that the Jacksons have ever performed, but it is challenging to fully appreciate a song containing such a large amount of emotional depth when there is an obvious polarity between the artist and the lyrics; thus the question of authenticity comes into play (Warwick

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