Let’s face it, there comes a certain point in time where we all feel like an outsider in some way— whether it’s the way we dress, the way we speak, or the way we think. Whatever it may be, we are often judged by society for going against the norm, but in reality, we are just expressing ourselves in the only way which we know how to, freely. Which imposes the question, what the fuck is normal anyway?
"Wildheart", Miguel's third studio album, not only disregards the conventional sound of R&B sonically by integrating psychedelic rock with R&B, but also defies the traditional sensibilities in modern R&B. One song in particular, "What's Normal Anyway", which is really the backbone of the album, Miguel boldly questions the concept of normality and the vague societal opinions that coincide with maturation.
He vulnerably sings:
"Too proper for the black kids, too black for the Mexicans
Too square to be a hood nigga, what's normal anyway?
Too opinionated for the pacifist, too out of touch to be in style
Too broke for the rich kids, I don't know what normal is"
Backed by the sparse instrumentation of a smoothacoustic guitar, Miguel forces the listener to focus on hisvocals byproviding personal examples that helpsillustrate the difficulties struggling to be accepted by society for being different, ultimately creating an emotional appeal.
"What's normal anyway? What's normal anyway?
I mean what's normal anyway? What's normal anyway?
What's normal anyway?
I'm in a crowd and I feel alone, I look around and I feel alone
I never feel like I belong, I wanna feel like I belong
Somewhere, somewhere
I'm in a crowd and I feel alone, I look around and I feel alone
I never feel like I belong, I wanna feel like I belong"
Through the use of repetition in the chorus, he poses the question of who gets to decide what is different and what is normal. As students in our formative years,we strive so hard to appease other people’s opinions of what things like happiness or success are, often selling ourselves short for acceptance.As the song gradually diminishes, Miguel leaves us with very powerful advice that provides optimismfor anyone who is struggling to be accepted by society for being different:
"Don't let them change you, just be who you are, who you are
Don't let them change you, you can't please them all, them all"
The overall message of not only "What's Normal Anyway", but the entire concept of Miguel's "Wildheart" album, is that it’s okay to be different because normality is an inherently hollow ideal when you think about it. So in the words of Miguel, "Dispose any need or expectation to conform to other people’s opinions, or perspectives and instead inspire to be yourself because the truth is normality is farce, normality is subjective." Different is the new normal.
You can listen to "What's Normal Anyway?" below:
