The Importance Of Diversity In Music According To Reed Louis-Jeune
Music has always been a fluid and fluctuating phenomenon, redefining itself in space and time. Over the years, new genres are created while new ideas become incorporated into modern musical experiences again and again. It’s fair to say that diversity is truly the lifeblood of the musical world, and nobody is perhaps better-placed to comment on this than Reed Louis-Jeune, independent record label owner and founder of Trill Corporation – a label that is home to an incredibly musically diverse group of individuals who are dedicated to reaching the pinnacle of their creative endeavours.
Having established his label to promote talented artists from a diverse array of backgrounds and who perform in an array of different styles, Louis-Jeune is keen to point out the importance of diversity in the music sphere when it comes to breaking boundaries and changing the definition of what we know as music.
Influencing Cultural Diversity
Louis-Jeune believes that music has a vital role to play in influencing cultural diversity, especially since all of the arts have long been a safe place in which diversity could be explored.
“Music has its roots in individual cultures,” the record label owner states, “but thanks to its ability to invoke emotions, it has the capacity to bypass the listener’s prejudices, even if only on a temporary basis.”
He demonstrates his point by highlighting world-famous artists like Bob Marley who brought reggae into mainstream consciousness and Louis Armstrong who brought the jazz genre to worldwide acclaim.
At the time that the world was first becoming aware of these performers, the musical styles that they embodied were entirely unfamiliar to a large section of their audience, and these artists were instrumental (no pun intended!) in broadening the horizons of listeners and increasing their understanding of other cultures and traditions through their talents.
Sharing The Human Experience
Louis-Jeune holds firmly to the belief that music enables humans to communicate their commonalities to each other. Through music, people of different races, creeds and backgrounds can express their own understanding of the world and, in return, receive knowledge of others’ viewpoints. Essentially, he says that music can model diversity’s value in society in a way that can rarely be seen in other facets of daily life.
“Music can create an emotional connection between two people, whatever their origins,” Louis-Jeune states. “The effect that it can create is universal, whether the listeners are from the same community or from the opposite sides of the globe. This means that it has a key role to play in promoting positivity and understanding between people who would otherwise have nothing in common with each other.”
Merging Boundaries
One of the most fascinating elements of music is its ability to adapt and soak up influences and inspirations. There is no such thing as one style of music. There are no boundaries. Indeed, Louis-Jeune says that the only boundaries that exist are those that remain in the minds of the listeners, and music has the power to break those boundaries down and open up the possibility of acceptance of previously rejected concepts.
“Music can help people to change their perceptions of other cultures.” The record label owner says. “While there will always be some people who insist on only listening to a single style of music and refuse to budge, there will be many, many more who are open to the idea of branching out and trying something new.
Music has the ability to tap into this curiosity and drive to explore new things. By exploring new music, listeners can expose themselves to the unexpected and gain a far better understanding of the world around them.”
He also points to artists like Rihanna and Eminem who have experimented with music which crosses and blends cultural boundaries and stereotypes. He embraces this type of cross-collaboration and is excited about the possibilities it raises to create whole new musical genres that can promote better cross-cultural cohesion, understanding and acceptance.
“Music isn’t just an aesthetic artform that should be appreciated from a distance,” Louis-Jeune says. “It’s a social, human activity that is fundamental to the way we experience the world. Music has always been and always will be a key feature of human life, so what better way to promote better understanding between members of the human race than by exploring each other’s cultures through music appreciation?”
It is this positive outlook that Louis-Jeune hopes to promote with his Trill Corporation record label which has been established to support conscious music and artists. By working with some of the best and most talented artists across all styles and genres, he hopes to launch a new era in the music industry and play his part in creating a world that embraces diversity in all of its forms.
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