It's difficult to know how to feel about the tributes being paid to Michael Jackson on the fifth anniversary of his death. On one hand, he's become as well-known with the allegations of child sex abuse than his music. On the other, it's impossible to deny his musical genius and his ongoing influence on stars all over the world.
And for better or worse, one person who is concentrating on his musical legacy is Beyoncé, who has just posted a heartfelt note on her website: ‘When I was just starting out, my first producer used to make me listen to Michael Jackson’s live performance of Who’s Loving You. He would have me watch that for hours back to back to back.
'What he wanted me to learn was his soul. You could hear his soul. And he was this little kid who hadn’t experienced love but he was a vessel. For whatever reason, he could evoke more emotion than an adult. It was so raw and so pure. It was these little things that he did that were just swag. It’s something that’s God-given.
Michael taught me that sometimes you have to forget technique, forget what you have on. If you feel silly, you have to go from the gut – just let it go.
Michael Jackson changed me, and helped me to become the artist I am. Thank you, Michael.
Love always, B’
Whether or not you think she should be paying tribute to someone accused of some (let’s face it) pretty awful crimes, it’s clear from this letter that the influence he had on Beyoncé’s career is significant. Here’s a video of the performance Beyoncé is referencing in her tribute – we’ll allow you to make up for own minds about how Michael should be remembered.
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Picture: Getty
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.