The stage is dark, a faint light is visible in front. The sound of the audience’s breathing is echoing in the darkness, as if they are staring at something on the stage.
Suddenly, a blast occurs, and a frail figure appears in the spotlight, wearing a fedora hat.
He rises on his toes, his knees bent, his back curved, and one hand on his hat. The audience screams.
If Leonardo da Vinci had seen this style, he would have considered it a masterpiece and sculpted it.
If you want to see how people’s emotions are stirred, just watch any of Michael Jackson’s concerts.
The King of Pop, the King of Music, the magician who ruled over hearts, reminds me of Mr. Manto’s quote:
“A beautiful thing is a joy forever. Wherever art is found, we should cherish it.”
MJ was a creator who has left an indelible mark on the world of art. His music and videos are a testament to his genius. Even today, if you watch his videos or listen to his music, you will not find a single moment where he is not performing with passion and energy.
Michael Jackson stands as an example in the world of creators. The life he lived, however long, was more than enough. People like him cannot live for too long. The biggest challenge they face is that they always want to present themselves in a transformed state to the public. Even for a great actor, this is incredibly difficult in this world.
When Kapil asked Ranveer Kapoor why he always appears in different styles—sometimes with long hair, sometimes with a ponytail, sometimes wearing strange glasses—what is the science behind it?
He replied that if people see an actor in the same style all the time, they will get bored.
I agree with him to a large extent, but Ranveer is not a creator. Michael Jackson was a “Creator.” Whether you listen to his old or new albums or watch his videos, you won’t see him singing or performing in the same style.
Our friend Ghani Bhai, commenting on Michael Jackson, says that nowadays, if you create a YouTube channel, you end up begging people to subscribe to it. If a channel gets monetized, you’re overjoyed. Michael Jackson astonished the world at a time when technology wasn’t at this level. It was the era of cassettes, and even TV wasn’t available in every household around the world.
“But he came, he saw, and he conquered”—if these words fit anyone, it’s undoubtedly MJ.
Hearing Ghani Bhai, I remembered that a famous actor from a neighboring country lost thirty million followers on Twitter. He announced that he was closing his Twitter account. Upon hearing this, the entire Twitter team chartered a plane and flew to his city to meet him and offer useful advice. But when Michael came to perform in the same actor’s city, thirty-five thousand people gathered to watch him with wild excitement. The King of Pop earned millions of dollars from that one concert in a single night and donated all the money to a youth welfare project.
I remember that a famous dancer from a neighboring country once challenged Michael Jackson to a dance competition. Michael Jackson probably didn’t even notice, but that dancer’s luck turned overnight, and he became famous.
A few years ago, I saw the same dancer performing the “moonwalk” on stage. It made me laugh, thinking, “On what basis did he dare to challenge Michael?”
Michael belongs to those few in the world whose performances people imitated and became stars themselves.
His philanthropic work is also worth noting. He founded the “Heal the World Foundation” in 1992, which aimed to improve the lives of children around the world. The foundation’s notable charitable works include providing food supplies to Sarajevo, funding a child’s liver transplant in Hungary, donating millions to disabled children, supporting children’s hospitals and cancer research, and providing financial assistance to the United Negro College Fund and the Prince Trust.
Michael Jackson spent so much on charitable work that he himself faced financial difficulties.
In “Thriller,” Michael Jackson brought the dead out of their graves and danced with them. Later, when this song was re-picturized, the dead were present, but the cemetery wasn’t in the background. The concept of zombies was later adopted by the world from “Thriller.”
Before the picturization of “Smooth Criminal,” Michael Jackson had a special shoe made, patented it, and then leaned at a sixty-degree angle while dancing—a signature move unique to Michael Jackson.
I watched a documentary on Nat Geo that showed Michael Jackson’s preparation before a concert. The boys and girls who danced with him first had to go through an interview and dance performance. Those who were shortlisted would then perform in front of Michael Jackson, and he would select a few special people from them.
Similarly, those who played the orchestra for Michael’s songs were of a different class altogether. The guitarists or drummers in the Nat Geo program mentioned that Michael would sing while dancing, which in itself is a great art. Balancing rhythm and melody with full-body movements while keeping an eye on the beats in the background is almost impossible. Michael Jackson did this so well that if a drummer or guitarist made a mistake during a practice session, Michael would immediately correct them.
After intense practice sessions, these people would perform on stage in front of the world during concerts.
On June 23, 2009, after returning from a rehearsal for the concert “This Is It,” Michael Jackson’s health deteriorated. Due to a wrong dose of medication given by his doctor, Conrad Murray, this legendary man passed away.
Michael Jackson wrote 150 songs and gave 20 stage performances that became legendary. He also composed the tunes for his most famous songs himself. Once, he recorded a cassette of songs, but when he listened to it later, he completely rejected it. This act of destroying one’s own creation is significant, but it shows how difficult it is for classic artists to be satisfied with their work.
Our friend says that he fell in love with Michael Jackson the day he performed with Britney Spears, singing a song and then doing a backward slide close to her.
I asked my friend “Ammar” when the world would stop being mesmerized by this person? He replied that the magic of creative people is everlasting; these are the people whom nature breaks the mold after creating.
AI has suggested some new titles for Michael, among which “The Maestro of Moonlight” and “The Dance Deity” are my favorites.
He was a true artist who inspired many with his music and dance. His legacy continues to inspire new generations.”
May the great emperor of art receive the salute of his admirers.
Abu Joan Raza