Does anyone remember, years ago, when four Swedes called ABBA were banking truckloads of money in their very small country while Muldoon down here was busy taxing the bejesus out of recorded music, that there was an argument had that instead of shitting all over music-buyers and local musicians, Muldoon would do better to remove the thumbscrews and get out their way, and then maybe, one day, a New Zealander or two might enjoy the same sort of success that might just benefit all of us as well?
Have we just seen that, much belatedly, with Lorde and Joel Little – their success, their awards, their Grammy performance seen by tens of millions?
Not that promoting musos should be anything to do with govt policy per se, but given that so much of what passes for policy is predicated on raising NZ’s profile in the world, I wonder if some enlightened soul in Treasury could do the sums and work out some sort of policy recommendation based on how many folk overseas paid attention to New Zealand because of the half-billion the govt the taxpayer forked out on the Rugby World Cup, or the tens of millions given as welfare to yachties, compared to how many noticed us down here because of two very talented individuals who just got on and did their own thing.
It shouldn’t take very long to do the sums.
3 comments:
Sorry, I just don't see the attraction in regards Lorde. She sings about stuff that at 16, she should have no idea about. My daughters of course love her. I ask them to explain the lyrics of her songs, of course, they had no clue (they are 14 & 12) which rather makes my point. Then again, my Daughters note that I'm a Lee 'Scratch' Perry fan- a man who has been know to go on stage wearing a toaster on his head.
IvanK
I'm no fan of Lorde, but my daughters love her music.
Good on her, it's a shame thou, that the parasites are beginning to come out of their caves in order to bask in the reflection of her achievements.
B Whitehead
Do you seriously believe that a 16 year old semi-goth from the suburbs was able to write, record and promote herself to this level of attention? This is the music business! It's manufactured artifice. Enjoyable if you like that sort of vacous nonsense, but of vanishingly tiny relevance- hype and yet another breathless media circus.
Ivan is correct. This girl is singing about matters that she can't have real experience or much first hand knowledge about. That's the tell. It is an artificial contrivance created for those of soft heart and softer head. But Kiwis you are on the map at last. You did it. You got there. The whole worl saw you are as good as anyone else is, well, at least in producing a dirge vocaliser semi-goth thing. Talk about living a vicarious existence. Some of you need to get out some.
Hey! Want to guess what is on TV tonight? Gasping! The Grammies! Breathless reporting about after-parties. Famous people! Lorde. Breathlessness. Hype. Exagerrrrrrrrrration. Affectation. BSers as artists. Hangers on. Vicarious fame.
Yokels!
Amit
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