Music is a powerful element of popular culture that not only influences what we do with our spare time but the way we talk, associate, and relate to each other. It generates a feeling of unity by reminding us that all phases of life such as heartbreak, happiness, and love are universal experiences. How then could it be possible to believe that music comes solely from the elite?  Our ancestors and the humans from decades ago have long communicated, celebrated and fought through life accompanied by musical hymns. Music is incredibly human. Examining more contemporary popular music, we see a transformation in music through a music industry that focuses on producing a hit a song that will contain a melody catchy enough for the radios and the online streaming programs to play it over and over again. This version of music is frankly depressing as strips away the creative humanity of music.  There is hope, however, at the end of the tunnel through underground artists and singer-songwriters. The most successful story which has resulted in the #1 most listened to artist on Spotify and arguably one of the most popular artists on this planet, Ed Sheeran.

Edward Christopher Sheeran was born in Halifax, England in 1991. Since his childhood he had always felt like an outsider in his “preppy, sporty, competitive private primary school” due to his humble background with his father being an art curator and his mother being a jewelry designer.(Chesterton) Additionally he was bullied for his weird-looks and strange behaviors (though not diagnosed, it was most likely ADD). (Chesterton) While there were many difficult aspects of his infancy as he recalls that he had never won at anything, he began to learn how to play the guitar and learned to sing in the local church choir discovering music as a natural vehicle for happiness.(The Famous People)

As soon as Ed reached adolescence his hardships were only amplified by teenage angst and rebellion. His father John Sheeran, the no-nonsense son of Irish immigrants, grew tired of his son’s attitude having always pushed his children to be academically driven. He played the biggest role in influencing Ed to take initiative and work hard at the one thing he truly loved the most; music. (Chesterton) Rather than getting in trouble, Ed was driven to musical gigs of artists like Bob Dylan so that he could gain inspiration from those that made a career in music. (Chesterton) Validating his father’s determined efforts, Ed has dreamed about becoming a pop superstar since he was 13 and has never taken a day off in accomplishing this dream. (Chesterton)

Rather than turning to the entertainment industry as what could provide knowledge and guidance on making it big, Ed began to study music with the organization ‘Access to Music’ and the National Youth Theater. (The Famous People) While studying music he began to produce his own music with the sole focus of making enough to live from his passion. In his own words his first dream was “to make enough money from music to pay the rent and sell 100 CDs.”(Chesterton) By the time Sheeran was 14 years old he had already released two CDs ‘Spinning Man’ and ‘The Orange Room’ independently. (The Famous People)

Although it had been his father’s aspiration for Sheeran to get a proper education, he dropped out of high school at sixteen and began to move from place to place until 2008 when he finally decided to move to London.(Chesterton) As soon as he arrived at London his life was governed by  his search for “gigs, attention and somewhere to spend the night.” (Chesterton) While searching for recognition of his own lyrics and melodies he was homeless for two and a half years famously having slept a couple of nights outside an arch of Buckingham Palace. (Her) Rather than giving up and retreating to Hallifax, Ed made it work by making important connections, “I knew where I could get a bed at a certain time of night and I knew who I could call at any time to get a floor to sleep on. Being sociable helped.” (Her) Furthermore, he formed a precise sleeping schedule allowing him to sleep on Circle Line trains after gigs waiting until around 5 am to be able to sleep on the line until 12 pm to then go to another session. (Her) While this lifestyle was incredibly troublesome it also taught him invaluable skills of determination and the ability to associate with others in an organic “human” manner. He stated that one of the keys to this was drinking at bars to socialize a technique that could potentially conflict with what any PR manager would recommend but allowed Ed to navigate the London gig circuits as an independent musician. (Her)

Yet Ed Sheeran did not only involve himself in musical gigs but also auditioned for “Britannia High” a British musical drama television series hoping to find some money. (The Famous People) Furthermore in 2009 he was accepted into the Academy of Contemporary Music in Guildford. (Chesterton) The key here is that while he could have received a proper music education he dismissed the opportunity contending that he could teach them a lot more about music than they could teach him, most likely due to his real life experience with performing in gigs and songwriting abilities. It was through this refusal from academies and educational institutions that he became recognizable figure in London’s gigging circuits allowing him to form relationships with artists in Hip-hop and other entertainment acts.  (Chesterton) However, one of the most important steps that he made in his career was uploading his music online. It was through one of these videos that he was able to establish an invaluable connection with Example, a british rapper, singer,and songwriter. (Biography.com) Example was able to discover Ed Sheeran through online media and granting him the opportunity of performing as his opening act which drove his musical fan base and inspired him to write more songs. (Biography.com)

Nonetheless, despite his hard work and passion for music Sheeran was still without a music contract. Thus, he took another bold step in his career by moving to Los Angeles with no contacts in 2010. (Chesterton) Through his performances and musical self-promotion, Sheeran landed a gig at an all-black R&B open mic night in Los Angeles. (Chesterton) It was there, as the ginger outsider, where Sheeran was spotted by Jamie Foxx’s manager who introduced him to Foxx letting him stay in Foxx’s home but also letting him make use of his recording studio. (Chesterton) With a new fan, Sheeran was invited to make an appearance on Foxx’s Siriusxm Radio Show gaining more international recognition.(Biography.com)  The following year he released his last independent EP which reached No. 2 on the iTunes Chart even though it had not been advertised for in any way. (Biography.com) This drew attention from many record companies and with that he was signed onto Atlantic Records that same month. (Biography.com) When the 2012 Brits Awards came around Sheeran won the Best British Male Solon Artist and British Breakthrough Act of the Year awards crowning him as a key player in the British music business. (The Famous People)

Getting back to the point, however, what is fascinating is identifying what is truly the key to Ed Sheeran’s success in popular music and its importance particularly in context to his story having been a partially homeless singer-songwriter. Now that the background is established, it is important to emphasize what distinguishes Sheeran from other popular music artists. Yes, he did not move to Hollywood with hopes of being manufactured in a particular way so that he could satisfy a particular target audience in the entertainment industry, in fact, it is much more than that.  Ed Sheeran has quickly become the voice of the Millennial generation having collaborated with mega-artists like Taylor Swift, Pharrell Williams, The Weeknd,and Harry Styles. (Beaumont) Moreover, he has written hit songs for Justin Bieber, One Direction and the X Factor all while being the most streamed artists online in the entire world through his own music. (Beaumont)  What’s exciting here is that he has taken the music industry by storm through his authenticity and sincerity with music reflecting his identity and his own truths.

One of the ways that Ed Sheeran does this is by writing about the mundane; utilizing lyrics that mention sex, drinking and love all which are incredibly real and human. (Chesterton) Take for example one of his most recent hits “Thinking out Loud ” where he sings “When your legs don’t work like they used to before/And i can’t sweep you off of your feet/Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love?/ Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks.” In this song he writes about the great but also ordinary fear of ageing and living through it all while in love. Many of us have seen this through the lenses of our grandparents, parents or maybe are even beginning to see it through our own relationships, regardless, it is a mundane topic that is incredibly touching and relatable–Ed Sheeran’s magic.

Furthermore, the specificity of Ed Sheeran’s lyrics, specifically in mentioning day-to-day products, allows for the listeners to embody themselves in Sheeran’s situations through relatable emotions all while legitimizing his stories and lyrics. (Chesterton) In the song “Don’t” which talks about a celebrity love-triangle between Ellie Goulding, Niall Horan and Ed Sheeran, he mentions eating a takeaway pizza singing “And for a couple weeks I only wanna see her /We drink away the days with a takeaway pizza/ Before a text message was the only way to reach her/ Now she’s staying at my place and loves the way I treat her”. In own of his newer songs “Galway Girl” the same technique was used; “I walked her home then she took me inside to finish some Doritos and another bottle of wine.”

But criticism coexists with every successful act and one of the biggest critics of Sheeran happens to be Noel Gallagher, the lead guitarist from Oasis, who has declared that Ed Sheeran has essentially killed Rock and Roll music. (Hodgkinson) His reasoning behind this theatrical declaration you might ask? He argues that this new generation of singer-songwriters are unlike any other musicians before them having never struggled with their own music.(Hodgkinson)  These new musicians tend to have middle class or upper class privilege that has granted them the resources to support their music dreams resulting in shutting down of major music studios.(Hodgkinson) Additionally, he critiques the millennial generation contending that, “No fucker wants to be in a band anymore because it’s too much of a struggle. So we have a generation who all studied music at college, they all had media training, and the head of PR at the major label they’re signed to told them all what to do. The generation I came were never afforded that luxury, which is why we were scallywags. We were coming up against the system rather than being a product of it.” (Hodgkinson) His argument, however compelling is completely unfounded when looking at Ed Sheeran’s life story. While his family did do their best to support him, his father was also an alcoholic and one of the main reasons why Ed decided to flee his home at age 16. From this time he was essentially on his own resulting in various encounters with homelessness all while struggling to supporting himself with his music.  This story does not radiate privilege in fact it screams hard work, preparation and the seizing of opportunities. In defiance of musical institutions Sheeran himself never graduated from high school nor a musical institution in fact he picked up most of his skills through experience and mentorship.His ability to reach the top 10 of iTunes charts without a record label is the complete defiance of being a product of the music industry.

In the meantime Ed Sheeran makes sure to emphasize his authenticity not only through his lyrics but through his personality and presentation as a pop artist. As Christ Williman from Billboard states, “That’s his way: He’s the scruffy guy who doesn’t care what he wears, but turns up on the red carpet of the Vanity Fair Oscar party; the open-mic songwriter who has come up with the biggest hooker-themed radio hit since Sting sang about Roxanne. And, let’s face it, being the only guy onstage is a smart business.” (Willman) He was GQ’s Worst Dressed Man of the year in 2013 because he “still wear(s) skater hoodies, jeans and skater shoes.”(Chesterton) Now this is not a marketing ploy it just signals that he wants others to focus on what truly matters; his honest and pure well-written music.

Works Cited:

Beaumont, M. (2017). 50 Things You Didn’t Know About Ed Sheeran – NME. NME. Retrieved 15 November 2017, from http://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/50-things-you-didnt-know-about-ed-sheeran-1999240#DVdK6uJUw4uvRTm1.99

Chesterton, G. (2017). How Ed Sheeran became the biggest male popstar on the planet. Gq-magazine.co.uk. Retrieved 15 November 2017, from http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/ed-sheeran-new-album-divide

Ed Sheeran. (2017). Biography.com. Retrieved 15 November 2017, from https://www.biography.com/people/ed-sheeran

Her. (2017). Ed Sheeran Reveals He Was Homeless for Two and a Half Years | Her.ie. Her.ie. Retrieved 15 November 2017, from https://www.her.ie/music/ed-sheeran-reveals-he-was-homeless-for-two-and-a-half-years-186472

Hodgkinson, W. (2017). Ed Sheeran is killing music | Little Atoms. Littleatoms.com. Retrieved 15 November 2017, from http://littleatoms.com/film-music/ed-sheeran-killing-music

Who is Ed Sheeran? Everything You Need to Know. (2017). Thefamouspeople.com. Retrieved 15 November 2017, from https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/ed-sheeran-29882.php

Willman, Chris. “ED SHEERAN UN-ZIPPED.” Billboard – The International Newsweekly of Music, Video and Home Entertainment Apr 12 2014: 24-9. ProQuest. Web. 12 Nov. 2017

Each year, the music industry works tirelessly to synthesize a catchy melody to a song that will attain a monumental title. This title will assure that it will not only be a hit, but it will have the potential to define a generation. That title is the song of thesummer. While there are always many alluring contesters, it was clear this past summer that there was a song unlike the rest. This was not only because it wasn’t traditional “pop” music, but because it was unlike any other song produced in the United States. This song was “Despacito”. Originally, this simple word was stuck in Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Luis Fonsi’s head and as he worked with Panamanian songwriter Erika Ender and Daddy Yankee, he created what became the first Spanish crossover hit to the United States since “Macarena”.[1] It is fundamental that we examine beneath the surface of this four-minute song and consider the political implications this megahit bears and what this says about the state of American society.[2]

The Top 40 stations of the United States are not renowned for their diverse sounds and musical variety. In fact, there are very few songs on the radio that do not have the same electronic beats and repetitive lyrics. This feat is even greater, as only a few Spanish songs have made Top 40, with only three to have ever hit number one in the United States. [3]This is particularly fascinating if one is to contrast it with the Latin American radio market that is constantly dominated by American-produced songs. How is it that a song that wasn’t originally produced to be a Spanish cross-over hit reached the dimension of being the most viewed song of all time?

To understand how this song fits into our society it is important to consider the discernible details generated by the song in relation to American society. Right up front, despite the fact that 78% of the lyrics are in another language, the broad acceptance of the song is intriguing. What is it about this foreign song that has music listeners yearning for more? Is it the tropical sounds or the slowed down tempo as the song hits the melodic “des-pa-ci-to”? Or is it the fact that Justin Bieber, an idol of American Pop culture, thought the song to be absolutely infectious? To further investigate this question, it is fundamental to examine the American public’s response to this song. The reoccurring reactions are positive, describing the music as sensual and catchy. Although such descriptions are raised in other American pop songs, in “Despacito” it is done in a much subtler way because its unique feature of being in a foreign language inhibits most to analyze the lyrics in a literal manner. Hence, American listeners are drawn to the familiarity but also intrigued by the cultural differences of this masterpiece. Moreover, “Despacito” does the incredible by employing the powerful idea that fans do not need to understand the language to enjoy and appreciate music.

Nevertheless, there are an abundance of songs produced in Latin America that contain captivating and provocative melodies in Spanish, yet very few are able to attain the grand honor of American Top 40. Thus, what truly differentiates “Despacito” from other crossovers is that it is an absolute rule breaker in all senses of the word. It is impossible to truly classify the song into one genre as it is packed with several influences of reggaeton, hip-hop, dancehall, reggae, salsa, cumbia and pop. This fusion grants the song heavy beats, vocals, rap and even a swing rhythm when Justin Bieber slowly sings the word despacito at the beginning of the chorus.  Subsequently, the instruments utilized are combined in an unprecedented manner. The song begins with a Cuatro guitar native of Puerto Rico, which is chopped to sound more urban. Then a guïra and guache join in, which are percussion instruments used in cumbia and merengue music. This is followed by cowbells and timbales, which are single head steel drums used in salsa music.

Additionally, the song takes an entire minute in order to arrive at the catchy melody, which is incredibly uncommon in pop music. Grasping the listener’s attention with the rich music, the song thrusts them into the adrenalizing chorus. Furthermore, the fact that the song was not originally intended to be a crossover, but was conceived once Justin Bieber contacted Luis Fonsi to become involved in the piece, is particularly unusual in the music industry. This union between Justin Bieber, Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee allows for there to be a synthesis of cultural and musical ideas. The musical producers of “Despacito” noted that the manner in which Justin Bieber sings the introduction is completely unexpected especially for a reggaeton-pop song, however, it is successful and revolutionary.

Thus, after having contemplated the possible reasons why Despacito reached success in the United States, it is logical to try and understand how this song fits in relation to American society. The remix of the song was released on April 17, 2017 at a time when the United States had just elected a president that called Hispanics “bad hombres” and criminals and incited sentiments of xenophobia. Hence, with its Spanish, soft and cheerful sounds, “Despacito” provided a stark contrast to the harsh realities in the country and grim news headlines. Its overwhelming popularity helps promote the advancement of Latin American culture in the United States for several reasons. First, it displays Latino culture in the forefront of American pop culture and generates important conversations about Latinos in a positive light, straying away from the negative stereotypes generated by politics and the media. Many music experts, such as Julissa Lopez from the Washington Post, pinpoint “Despacito” as havingpaved the way for other crossover Spanish songs, especially J. Balvin’s “Mi Gente”, which has now surpassed “Despacito” as number one on the Top 40 on Spotify.

This, however, does not take into consideration how the Latino community has responded to the song, which has ultimately generated mixed reactions. Some in the community have looked at “Despacito” as assurance that the United States still values Latin Americans and the diversity of American society. Yet, many have negatively received Justin Bieber’s involvement in the song as almost “colonizing” the song, essentially taking credit for the success of the song. In fact, many in popular media have declared the song to be Bieber’s when it was the contrary.  What is still intriguing is that, although he did not write the song, Justin Bieber was a key piece to the puzzle of breaking into American Top 40, serving almost like a bridge amongst Latin Americans and the American public.

The music video of the song, which is now one of the most viewed videos of all time on YouTube, focuses on the island of Puerto Rico showing the beautiful beaches, people and women. It acts almost like a travel agency promo of the island, which is especially meaningful considering the current state of Puerto Rico, which is currently facing a huge debt crisis and struggling to rebuild itself after Hurricanes Maria. Although produced independently from the remix, this video became increasingly popular through the success of the remix, which generated a 45% increase in tourist interest in Puerto Rico.[4] This economic development is metaphorical forwhy the song was so triumphant, because just like Puerto Rico needs the help of the US in these times of trouble, Justin Bieber was able to help the already stunning “Despacito” achieve success in the United States.

 Examining the lyrics of the song, there is a common theme of the Caribbean lifestyle, specifically the Puerto Rican life, in lyrics like “this is how we do it down in Puerto Rico”, that focus on taking it slow and enjoying each moment and step “pasito a pasito”. The message behind these lyrics could be a vital aspect of “Despacito’s” success, as it could be that many listeners are nostalgic of a slower time where they would stop and savor each moment. With industrialization and capitalism, there are very few times where we are not rushed by the different errands and jobs we have to do. “Despacito” provides a stark contrast and reminds us to slow down every once in a while, as life and love are better taken despacito.

In this case, however, by looking at how “Despacito” fits in relation to the United States, it is less likely that many Top 40 listeners were deeply analyzing the lyrics and themselves yearning for a slower life. Thus, it is important to focus on Justin Bieber’s effect and what his incorporation in the remix signifies. Despite being born in Canada, Justin Bieber is a product of the American music industry, as he was discovered at age 13 by Scooter Braun and Usher. With these adults not only supporting him, but constantly coaching him on how to handle fame and his public image, their American influence is prevalent. Justin Bieber has been in the music industry now for over 10 years with multiple Top 40 hits at only 23 years old. While he has endured countless criticisms by those that say he is simply a teenage heartthrob thriving off of teenage girls and involved in multiple encounters with the law, he is also a savvy businessman with contracts with Adidas and Calvin Klein. There is no question, however, that Justin Bieber has defined popular culture, especially through his image and music. His engagement with “Despacito” and Latin American culture and the personal decision to choose to sing the chorus in Spanish represents a major shift in ideology for Americans, especially Millennials, a group that is more drawn to diversity and to un-conventionalism.

“Despacito” was a song manufactured to signify a switch in Luis Fonsi’s music from soft pop ballads to a pop-reggaeton-esque sound; it was never intended to be a political statement, but many citizens took it to be political, especially with the current political atmosphere. With the language of Spanish currently being politicized and many Latinos being harassed – even beaten -when speaking Spanish in the United States, the popularity of this song serves as a protest to Trump’s America. This shows that our demographics are changing, and we are becoming increasingly diverse. American culture is no longer solely European-influenced culture.  Additionally, the fact that Justin Bieber, a man in the music culture industry, took it upon himself to voluntarily adopt Spanish is in itself an act of political assertion. For many, Spanish is seen as the language that is invading and soiling America; however, “Despacito” defies this ideology, spanning past demographics and giving Americans something to hold on to – maybe with the slowed down lyric of “despacito”. Through this adaptation, Justin Bieber highlights the fact that America is changing, though slowly, in an ultimately refreshing way.

[1] Leight, Elias. “‘Despacito’ Singer Luis Fonsi On Surprise Spanish Smash, Bieber Blunder.” Rolling Stone, 2017, http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/luis-fonsi-on-spanish-smash-despacito-justin-bieber-cameo-w484727

[2] This argument is adapted from Fredric Jameson’s Political Unconscious

[3] Abad-Santos, Alex. “How “Despacito” Became The Biggest Song Of 2017.” Vox, 2017, https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/8/18/16112710/despacito-biggest-song-of-2017-bieber-fonsi-daddy-yankee.

[4] “El Increíble Efecto “Despacito” En El Turismo De Puerto Rico.” Infobae, 2017, https://www.infobae.com/turismo/2017/07/03/el-increible-efecto-despacito-en-el-turismo-de-puerto-rico/.