If you don't watch NBC's America's Got Talent, then you must have not seen Brian Justin Crum's 2nd performance for the judge cuts. He performed Radiohead's Creep, which was a part of the 1993 Pablo Honey album, and also one of my favorite songs. :)
His performance left everyone in the audience, and everyone at home watching speechless. He poured out his heart and soul into the song and there was a reason. When he was younger, he was bullied for being overweight, gay, and wanting to have a singing career. He moved to Oregon with his aunt and uncle so that he can avoid the bullying and get a fresh start. With the help of his mom by his side, he believed in who he was, and that anything was possible.
Brian's goal is to make "people to feel things when he performs". When he performed, he put his heart and soul into that song. Everyone has at least been bullied, and or felt like they didn't fit in society, that's why the judges, audience and everyone at home watching felt his pain.
Before Brian went on stage he stated:
"America's Got Talent can change your life. And it just lit a fire in me, to open myself up some more. I'm gonna take all the pain and everything I went through, and focus all of that into this performance."
What Brian did was tell a story of how it felt being bullied, and picked on. This is how important music can be to people. What Brian did was tell a story of how it felt being bullied, and picked on.
The judges stated:
"If you can turn a song into a performance, people will remember you, and I think you just demonstrated that. Every time we've seen you, you put on a performance which for me is very exciting." -Simon
"You took your time and told us a story and then you exploded in the middle. And to go from that big, to that small at the end of the song is genius in my eyes." -Mel B
"You do give me the chills, because you sing with so much passion, and i do, I feel it with you. I think you're one of the best singers we have on the show this season." -Heidi
"You know you said that you want people to feel. But to choose a song and to sing it, to make people feel. And I think we all feel that we're creeps and weirdos, and we're different. I suffer from mental health issues and we always feel alone and we find out we are not. We all belong here and it makes the world, and that was a wonderfully moving rendition" -Howie
Music can help people express themselves, and benefit them in the long run. According to National Association for Music Education, music can help people:
- Improve emotional development
- Increase memory
- Build character
- Can be relaxing
- Teach discipline
- Creative thinking
- Boost self-confidence
I think that cutting music programs in schools are ruining opportunities for kids to express themselves with true raw passion, and emotion like Brian did in his song.
