Use My Voice

[anto]

Aug 31, 2020 18:11:09 GMT -6 VMNT said:

(sorry guys - this will be unpopular as anything)

Personally, I hope they never do anything that "takes a political stand" again. I see it as Ivory Tower bollocks.

It's funny how it's trendy to go on about how "rich/old/white/institutional/blah-blah-blah" people are holding everybody down - but when celebrities, or rich, or famous, or otherwise idolized people get up in their ivory towers with their millions of dollars and fancy houses, and their "platforms" and tell people how they feel and what they'd do and all of that... I don't know. It's so detatched.

Don't get me wrong. I'm certainly not against success - at all.

But to me right now, there's a massive double-standard that I see. All the 'commoners', and the poor, and the hard-done-by are down here getting in fights and riots and civil unrest. And the social divide is widening more and more every day because everyone has to be in their own special little box of oppression; yet famous musicians and actors and all, step out of big studios, and big houses, to tell you wrong from right - and then go back inside - and people love it and agree with 'em and think these people are their friends and all, in large part due to idolatry.

I think psuedo-political influence from idols is one of the most destructive aspects of modern society

I agree that the rich and influential should be careful with how they use their platform, especially politically. One thing I coveted from the band is that they never mixed politics and their music. I hope I'm misunderstanding your claim that the divide is widening because people have to be in their own special box of oppression-- it sounds as if people's need for their oppressed states to be made into a conversation is the reason there is a divide. The fact of the matter is that people have disadvantages, hate, and obstacles in society due to their race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender identity, etc. The divide should not be blamed on people's need for equality, but on the resistance against attaining that equality, as the former would suggest that people shutting up and just dealing with their oppression is the way to go. Of course, not implying that that's your stance.

That all said, I agree with arlieimperfection that wanting the truth and telling people to vote (and I'll add on validating people's experiences and identities) should not be considered grounds for controversy. That alone showcases why this message was necessary over silence. 

No disrespect meant to you or your views. I feel they could've gone far more partisan with their message and did not. We can agree though that it's nice that they don't intend for TBT or their music in general to become political. 

[RapturedLight]

Aug 31, 2020 19:24:09 GMT -6 arlieimperfection said:

I don’t think there’s anything controversial about wanting the truth and telling people to vote.

That's the way I see it too. It'd be different if they were going on some rampage giving people overwhelming to do lists (call your reps, then email them, then handwrite to them, then change your entire diet to vegan and never use plastic again, then go to a protest, then donate to these organizations... all things that are totally great but can easily be encouraged in a semi-hostile/patronizing way when people don't have the time, money, etc.). And it's not like they're just talking the talk - they had that auction for BLM. They could have been writing to/calling reps this whole time for all we know. Politicians tell us what to do and think all the time and they're probably more detached from 'normal' people than plenty of artists. They sure seem like it most of the time.

[gezurrak]

I just watched the videoclip today and I totally love it!
To be honest, first I also had some issues with the song, because of the quite generic sound of the backing vocals ("ooh ooh", that I mean), but it's true, as someone mentioned already, the clip makes you feel the song better. Said this, I do hope future songs will have a more personal touch, though. For example like Wasted on you, wich is my favorite single until now.

[Diegoville]

I'm getting addicted to the song. Like, the instrumental is crazy good, no?

I'm not minding the generic "oh's" as of right now:P

[Shin]

So this was meant to be the first single around March but plans changed.

[Rarkphoenix]

Aug 31, 2020 18:11:09 GMT -6 VMNT said:

I think psuedo-political influence from idols is one of the most destructive aspects of modern society

This. I'm not sure if this is the case with Ev ( I'm well aware that my admiration for them could be clouding my judgement here), but it is an issue on a general level. It's the classic multinationals-jumping-on-the-'woke'-bandwagon problem. The trouble is it can be so difficult to tell a musician using their platform and genuinely pouring out their heart from a simple propagandist jumping on the next trend to boost their next paycheque, and it goes without saying that success and the comforts that come with that will always detach us somewhat from the ordinary people on the street, whether we want it to or not.

I do think, however, that although it could arguably be so generic in tone that it has the potential to be 'bandwagony' and 'look at us being relevant and topical', their message here at least makes an effort not to divide things further (and it's startling how few people realise just how much division is sowed by influential people and businesses delving in politics - although again I'd argue it's their right to do so and it's up to ordinary people to educate themselves and not follow their idols blindly). Although Amy's very obviously anti-Trump, the message the band is giving here is ultimately "research, read, use your own mind" which to me seems very inclusive. I guess one of the reasons why the video didn't hit me particularly was that it very much symbolised overthrowing existing power structures in an "us vs them" way, which is pretty divisive. Again, it's their platform to use as they wish, but I found myself experiencing the classic facepalms of someone talking to someone who, whilst justifiably very angry, had allowed their anger to remove all nuance in their worldview. It just feels a little too much of an oversimplification of an incredibly complex issue. Then again, most optimistic and utopian perspectives tend to be, yet there's still a lot to be said for dreaming of a better world.

[Deleted]

The chorus of Use My Voice reminds me a lot of the chorus of Rihanna & Shakira's "Can't Remember To Forget You"

[princeofpersia]

Music video passed 1M views in a week! \m/

[Diegoville]

Sept 2, 2020 12:14:46 GMT -6 Shin said:

So this was meant to be the first single around March but plans changed.

I do see how it was a better idea to release WoY first.

[mattthomas1992]

Sept 6, 2020 15:21:23 GMT -6 Diegoville said:

Sept 2, 2020 12:14:46 GMT -6 Shin said:

So this was meant to be the first single around March but plans changed.

I do see how it was a better idea to release WoY first.

Oh definitely. A national emergency wasn't the right time to get political

[princeofpersia]

BTS

[Diegoville]

This one slaps harder live!

[nz]

Nov 16, 2020 12:43:21 GMT -6 Diegoville said:

This one slaps harder live!

I agree on so many levels. And I just realized they put the performance on YouTube. I prefer the live version over the 'studio' version! Man, something about these made them incredibly fulfilling. This is the best mixing I've heard on Evanescence songs in years!

[princeofpersia]

[arlieimperfection]

Wow that fan video has to be the best one yet!