Integrity in Music: Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman, a legendary musician yes; but she is so much more, and increasingly she feels like an important figure we should pay closer attention to. Her voice, her words, her presence; they just are. No frills, no fifteen second hooks, no gimmicks needed. We know so little about her and we see even less of her. To me, she has always felt like the epitome of someone who embodies what it means to be a musician and a woman deeply anchored in her own truth and who she is; choosing integrity over trends and choosing quality over quantity.
Her voice is uniquely beautiful. Her messages are simple, meaningful, and still necessary even today. She has never shaped herself to fit a mould, and that is what makes her so exemplary. Many of us, in daily life and in the public spotlight, shape ourselves for others; it takes courage to remain true to yourself. Not to be different for the sake of being different, but genuinely yourself. On the world’s stage, under constant scrutiny, that courage is rare and something I think we see even less today. Yet Tracy Chapman has it in abundance. Every time I listen to her music, I am reminded of quiet strength and that real beauty, both in music and in people, is raw.
Music filters into society, and it has a tendency to shape society too; and in an age of fleeting trends, empty words, bandwagons, cash grabs and barely there outfits, artists like Tracy Chapman are essential for their simplicity, authenticity and messages. She has taught me the beauty in imperfection, a concept echoed in the Japanese idea of wabi sabi: that flaws add depth and beauty to everything; objects, voices, people. Through her career choices, I have admired the power of quiet and just how much strength it takes to quietly hold your own in a loud, overpowering, extroversion loving world. She reminds me that saying more isn’t always saying more; and that often simplicity is the most powerful effective tool.
Tracy Chapman shows me that nothing is worth sacrificing your true self and that remaining true in this world is an act of bravery. Bravery is not always loud and her music proves that even quiet simple acts can be bold. Peace is always worth more than money or validation, and we should always have the bravery to step back or step up when the moment calls for it just as Tracy Chapman did.