Creating Boldly Like Michael Jackson

I recently saw Michael, the Michael Jackson movie and I was inspired by his mix of edgy artistry and soft demeanour.

Throughout the film, I learned a lot about his upbringing and the challenges he faced. I knew he grew up as the young star of the Jackson 5, and a vague idea of the harsh parent-manager figure that is often behind child stars. In this case, the micro-manager was his father Joseph (Joe) Jackson, played by the revered Colman Domingo. However, I was not aware of the extent of that harshness and manipulation. Despite physical and emotional abuse, Michael rose above it to become the 'King of Pop' — somehow keeping his tenderness in tact with a side of grit.

Jaafar Jackson in "Michael", the MJ biopic

Michael’s nephew Jaafar Jackson (Jermaine’s son) played his late uncle and he was incredible. He really made me believe he was MJ! I had forgotten the unique high speaking voice Michael had, and his deep love for animals. Jaafar portrayed those qualities authentically (although the 'animals' he interacted with weren't nearly as realistic as his acting). The young actor also impressed me with his dance ability! Sure, most of the vocals in the musical moments were the real Michael's, but the physicality was all Jaafar! (And yes, I was dancing in my seat for a lot of the movie).

The thing that struck me most about Michael’s story was how convicted he was about his artistic direction. He would imagine the most unique and complex ideas, and stopped at nothing to make sure they were executed according to his vision. He was unapologetically true to his unique ideas and simple purpose: to spread love and joy.

Michael Jackson in the Dangerous Tour, 1992.

While I have the same motivation for the art I create (to uplift and empower), I am not always as free with my ideas. I often find myself filtering concepts through questions like

• Is this palatable?

• Is this entertaining enough?

• Will my audience get this?

But when I think about the artists who make the biggest mark on society, it’s often the ones who are the boldest. The bravest. They say imitation in the most sincere form of flattery, and when we think of how much of Michael we can find in pop stars who came after him, we can see just how big his impact was on the industry and culture at large.

Watching some of the songs in the movie, I was particularly reminded of Bruno Mars: His versatile voice; his dance moves; his captivating stage presence; his singularity. But it's evident that Michael was a huge role model for him as a musician (he actually used to perform as an MJ impersonator when he was young).

Bruno Mars at the 68th Grammy Awards (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Although most of my work to date has been theatre-based, I have released a bit of music and have aspirations to make more. And one of my biggest inspirations for that is Bruno Mars (or Peter Hernandez, as he was born — did you know?) So I suppose I partially have Michael Jackson to thank for my taste. I think anyone born after 1970 is somehow inspired by him, no?

Whatever I create in the future, I’m reminded to throw caution to the wind and be a bit more ‘Like Mike’ (different Michael, different movie, but you get it). There's no way to predict what people will connect with, so the best approach is to be less calculated and create without self-imposed restrictions.

Have you seen the movie? What did you think?