Summer's Ramble

I have something to say.



I know this is nothing new as I usually have something to say, but I'm gonna say it anyway.

There's an underground youth scene that's being completely ignored.

I was going to write about the underground music scene, but there's something more than that that needs to be addressed.

If you have ever spent an inordinate amount of time on YouTube like I have, you know that it's more than a place to watch crazy clips of dogs singing and fat people pole dancing. It's a community.

YouTube is a relatively free-form website where almost anyone can share anything they like about themselves.

Millions of singers, musicians, authors, comedians, dancers, directors, beauticians, and other such enthusiasts are sharing their passion with whoever's interested. These are people we pass every day on the street. These are people who serve us our lattes or hamburgers. These are people who sit in the back of the classroom or cut to the front of lines. These are people.

While on YouTube they seem like focused, passionate individuals who are totally dedicated to their craft, they're still expected to have a job "in real life".

Apparently, dedicating time to your passion and your acquired fans is not a "real life".

Basically, any attention or popularity gained on YouTube is rarely ever gained in the outside world.

Alex Day (nerimon) has released four personal albums and makes YouTube videos regularly. He's been popular on YouTube for years now, and is someone I truly respect for never being afraid to speak his mind, even when it's quite controversial. However, has he ever gotten any radio play? Not that I'm aware of. Why not? Simply put, YouTube musicians are not considered "serious" musicians. Yeah...

Lately I've been getting a little annoyed at what it takes to "make it". What does it take to "make it"? Basically, you have to know someone in the business. You could make the most amazing cake tutorials on YouTube, but the wedding planner's brother is the one who gets the jobs. You could put on an amazing acoustic show in the park, but the only people "discovering" you are those walking past you, not talent scouts.

True, Justin Bieber was discovered on YouTube. However, what has he done since then? Is he writing his own music? Does he even have a say in what he sings? Probably not. Now he just caters to what the producers and labels tell him people want, and people accept it because they think they're supposed to. Plus, he really needs to stop "dancing". I mean, come on! What's that about anyway?

There are so many talented people dedicating their lives to their passions, yet they never have a chance to become what they dream to be. They simply don't have the right connections and don't get noticed by the right people. It's not fair, but it's reality.

I wish more than anything that I could help support them. I wish that I could say "hey guys, check out these independent artists so that they can get successful for something they love rather than for something they always thought of as a secondary job" and you would do it. I wish I could say "hey, go vote for this guy to get on Ellen" and you would do it. However, I'm in the same boat as they are.

I love this blog, because it gives me an opportunity to speak my mind. As someone who's always had trouble putting their thoughts into words in public, it's wonderful to have a place like the Daily Dust where I can speak freely without worrying what people will think of me.

Unfortunately, nobody's reading.

I have no more of a chance of gaining popularity in the outside world than the kid singing original songs on YouTube does. Occasionally, an underground artist will get discovered and make it big. In general, however, they just don't. They get a day job they hate and share their art with their family and friends without having an opportunity to share it with a producer or publisher.

I only wish that people would take this underground youth scene more seriously. Sometimes people really have something beautiful to say, share, write, sing, or play, but no one gives them the time of day. If we could all open our minds an inch more, we'd see a world more vibrant and diverse than we'd have ever imagined.

Just another ramble for my family and friends to read.

Less than three,

~ Summer

p.s. Apparently spellcheck rejects "Bieber" as a legitimate word. I've never related to a computer function as much as I do now.