The Universal Language of Music
Across 6,500 spoken languages in the world today, the one language that remains universal is music. Ever since I was a little girl, I have relied on music to help pave my path and tell my story. It has the power to evoke emotions, express our thoughts, cross cultures, provide inspiration and creativity or help assist our mood.
Growing up, I didn’t know how to talk about my feelings to anyone. I didn’t know how to cry in public, allow people to hug me or understand the truth of what I was feeling. Music was my therapy which led to me being so connected to the stage and an expressive little dancer. For years on critique forms it was mentioned “how natural and real the emotion was portrayed”, but for me it was just about being free to be myself and express who I was and everything I felt or was dealing with at the time. I choreographed my own solos from the age of 12 and made sure everything I did told a story. No matter what the dance was, my mother never questioned the motive behind it and just saw it as me being “creative” which although I was, it was also my way of talking to her. It also came with it’s fair share of criticism and controversy by judges who wouldn’t always appreciated the thoughts some of my dances provoked, but I wasn’t doing it for them… I was doing it for me.
We all have songs that mean something to us. A quote I recently read said “Behind every girl’s favourite song, is a story to tell” ( something like that ). I thought – how incredibly true, whether it be a song of joy, a song of sadness – usually we are connected to it because it relates to a past or present experience. As a young girl I would bottle all my emotions up, go into my room and cry for hours listening to songs. Any free time I had, I was sitting at the piano composing my own theme songs to my life as a way to keep calm and relaxed. Where ever I was, I was usually listening to music.
If someone shares a song they love with you – listen, because it is their way of talking to you.
Some people relate to music by the feeling it gives through speed or rhythm, others more the lyrics and meaning behind the song. Music is something that can affect every person on the planet and be shared with no matter the language they speak. I had the fortunate experience of dancing to orphans in the middle of Russia when I was 15 to the song “Bring Him Home” from Les Miserables and although the song was in english, it didn’t matter – they were all singing along in Russian and knew what the song was about. It was a moment in time that has stayed with me forever. Another moment in time comes from Thailand where although I didn’t speak the language I was found jumping around in the middle of a church with 100 pastors all sharing the joy the music bought to them whilst being encouraged to join in with the traditional dancing.
Whether I am sitting at my piano, singing in the car or on stage, listening to movie soundtracks whilst I work or drumming on a table in a restaurant, music has helped me survive and it has helped me express my emotions in a safe and controlled environment no matter how dark those emotions have been. I thank music for keeping me alive and helping me connect with so many other people, where ever in the world I may be.
