Losing individuality

"Imitation is the sincerest form of falttery." Charles Caleb Colton

I have been hearing too many revivals these days. And they never impress me. I always whine about how worse the songs had become as they were “handed down from generation to generation.” The singers may claim they applied their own styles to these masterpieces so to give them some personal touch, but, ah, they failed miserably. But, yeah, not all. At least, Bamboo gave justice to Buklod’s Tatsulok.

MYMP (Make Your Mama Proud) also had done many cover songs. I like their style. The simplicity captures your heart. When you listen to their revivals, it is when you will realize how beautiful the songs are because you can’t help but listen. And it is when you listen that you understand.

Because of you, originally by Keith Martin was covered by Kyla, Gary Valenciano, and Paolo Santos. And yesterday, I heard it on the radio sang by another singer I could not recognize. And who knows who else? I think Kyla did well with her always-so-recognizable voice. Gary V. is not that bad either. Paolo Santos' rendition is OK. I admire Paolo Santos because he is a great artist and musician. And the voice on the radio? Let’s just say he is the reason why I wrote about this. It was strange. I could not follow. Hehe.

And with revivals come imitations. Filipinos are very good at that, I guess. The great imitators. There are many Pinoy versions of things not Pinoy. But I will just give you the Kitty Girls - Pinoy’s version of Pussycat Dolls. These five kitties were half-Filipinos, half-foreign models turned into (sex goddesses) singers and dancers. They heat up the dance floor with their sexy and energetic dance moves. I have seen them perform only once, but yeah, they conquered the stage. They are a sensation, but nevertheless, imitation.

Pussy Cat Dolls and Kitty Girls; pictures stolen from here and here.

Watch the Kitty Girls:

I am neither a frequent radio listener nor a TV watcher (my TV was broken in July). But when I do listen and watch, these revivals and imitations are most often played and performed.

There a lot of revivals and imitations in the entertainment world. Some of them may give justice to the originals. Some may not; others may even sabotage the songs. Personal touches don’t often work. Artists nowadays seem to lack the ability to create their own music. Maybe it’s true then ... that there is nothing left to be created in this generation. The world had used up all original ideas and people today are just reviving, remaking, remodeling.

Ah.

Originality is dead. Sometimes, individuality even sucks.