arts&style 11
December 22, 2011 Highlights
Music heard around the world: Iran to the U.K. Iran
South Korea
Latin America
Benjamin Hannani Feature Editor
Shannon Toobi Staff Writer
Persian music is very much a part of the lives of Iranian students at Beverly. At Persian gatherings, such as bar or bat mitzvahs and weddings, pop stars like Benyamin, The Black Cats and Arash can be heard blasting from the speakers. Sometimes the artists are even hired to perform at the parties. The artists frequently hold concerts in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Most Persian music can be classified as pop, although recent rap releases have gained popularity, too. Persians are attracted to pop music specifically because the genre is upbeat in nature and easy to dance to. For example, the music video for Barobax’s rap song, “Soosan Khanoom,” has attracted nearly 900,000 views on YouTube since its release on Jan. 18, 2010. Persian music has gained more publicity with its American Idol equivalent, the Googoosh Music Academy based in London. Under the leadership of Persian diva Googoosh, Iranian singers have gotten the attention of their compatriots. In fact, the Iranian government has banned the show by manipulating satellite signals because of the show’s Western influences, a quality frowned upon by the current regime. For those interested in Iranian music, albums are easy to purchase; Westwood Boulevard has numerous Persian music shops with a wide variety of genres from traditional folklore to contemporary hits.
When it comes to foreign music, Spanish tunes have come a long way from Latin America to popular radio stations in the United States such as 102.7 KISS-FM or 97.1 AMP radio. Spanish music originally used to portray history through its lyrics, however it now revolves more around passion, love, and emotion. Spanish music has undergone serious transformations from tango, salsa, and samba to our modern spanish pop and rock. Spanish music attracts numerous non-Hispanic fans through its fast and upbeat rhythm, bringing energy to any listener. Today, the lively tune of “Danza Kuduro” by Don Omar,
earning its popularity in Europe, produces the soundtrack for many “fiestas,” or parties. Famous Hispanic artists range from Manu Chao and Adventura to El Canto Del Loco. Hispanic artists have also began meshing together songs in “Spanglish;” an example of this can be seen in the music of Armando Christian Pérez, better known by his stage name Pitbull. In addition, well-known artists such as Shakira, Enrique Iglesias, and Ricky Martin all debuted Spanish tracks, many of which eventually became hit songs. Whether one’s interest in Spanish music is rooted from family, friends, or just the radio, its energetic rhythm has clearly won Americans over, and its lyrics continue to spread across the country.
Brenda Mehdian Staff Writer Amongst the variety of genres of music found in Korea, K-Pop, Korean pop music, has appeared to be the most popular. KPop is characterized with ballads and dance songs with up-beat rhythms and catchy lyrics. According to the K-Pop club at Beverly, Girls Generation and Big Bang are two of the popular bands is the world of K-Pop Big Bang is a five-member boy band who, after being awarded Best New Artist by the M.net Asian Music Awards (MAMA), began recording their music in Japanese. The MTV European Music Awards also named them Best Worldwide Act. Big Bang continuously alters its musical styles, to keep their fans excited and interested. Whether they are performing hip-hop, rock, R&B, techno or even rap, band members’ vocals are unforgettable and the group’s fan base is always growing. With three full albums in Korean, one in Japanese, three mini-albums, and fifteen singles, Girls Generation is one of the most top earning K-Pop groups in Japan according to mb.com. The band has been able to attract fans with tuneful hooks and creative music videos. They have also begun to make their American dreams come true. Girls Generation had their first performance at Madison Square Garden in New York City on October 23, where thousands of fans lined up to watch them perform. They released an English version of their hit song, “The Boys” and the music video generated a staggering 17 million views. K-Pop is making its mark on the world and rising to the top.
France
Israel
Sarit Kashanian Staff Writer The music of France is representative of the country’s distinct culture and national preferences. Currently, France is experiencing a rise in hip-hop and techno music. Modern styles of French music such as electronic have attracted attention from around the world. American hiphop music has influenced well-known artists such as electro and hip-hop DJ David Guetta and hip-hop and rap artist MC Solaar. Although born in France, Guetta has achieved notable success in the U.S. with hit singles such as “When Love Takes Over” and “Memories.” In 2010, Phoenix, a popular indie rock band in France, won a Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album for their album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix and performed at several international music festivals that same year. France even has its own “Coachella” counterpart called le Printemps de Bourges, a music festival held for five days every spring in Bourges, France. Youthful spectators from France and around the world come each year to hear their favorite artists perform for a crowd of over 200,000. Although a trip to this annual music event may be out of most students’ reach, students can get the same cultural experience listening to some David Guetta or Phoenix from the comfort of their own home.
Hae Lee Staff Writer
BLESS BAI
United Kingdom Ginelle Wolfe Staff Writer Since the 20th Century, folk, pop and rock have dominated the United Kingdom’s music scene. Famous composers such Gustav Holst and Arthur Sullivan produced classical music that was listened to throughout the world during the late 1800s. Folk music has also always been popular in the U.K. Each of the four countries in the U.K. has its own distinctive twist to folk music. For example, fiddles are very popular in Northern Ireland, while bagpipes are well known in Scotland. Famous bands in the U.K. include The Beatles and Mumford and Sons. The Beatles originated in Liverpool, England where they became a famous rock band. They later became the best selling band in history, and had more number one albums on the U.K. charts
and have held the top spot longer than any other musical act. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, the Beatles sold more albums in the U.S.A. than any other artist. They also received seven Grammy awards and continue to sell albums even though they are no longer together. The Beatles have had many hits such as “Yellow Submarine” and “Eleanor Rigby.” They became so popular that the term “Beatlemania” emerged. Originating in London, England, Mumford and Sons became a folk-rock bluegrass band. They released their first album in October 2009 and later released it in February 2010 in the United States. Although different from typical pop or rock and roll music in the U.S., the music of Mumford and Sons became an instant hit and they have received four Grammy nominations for their song, “The Cave.”
The modern music of Israel is becoming increasingly diverse; it mainly includes rock, jazz, folk and hip-hop. The combination of Jewish culture and non-Jewish tradition attracts listeners from many other nations. This blend of music style is a result of immigrants from Asia, the Middle East and Europe who reside in Israel and contribute to Israeli music and pop culture. According to Abbanibi, a website of Israeli Entertainment and Culture Newswire, “Fall in Love Again” by Mock Stereo is the most popular English-translated Israeli song. Mock Stereo rocks Tel Aviv, Israel’s capital, with its urban vibe, intermixing ‘60s guitar riffs with the latest beats. The band consists of Eli Abramov and Iggy Waxman who dominate the electro-pop and punk industry. Harel Skaat was voted as singer of the year on the leading Israeli radio station, Reshet Gimel. He was discovered on the Israeli music show “Kochav Nolad” (similar to “American Idol”), and was later chosen to represent Israel in Eurovision, the annual European vocal contest, where he won 14th place. Music is a very important part of Israel’s identity and cultural representation in the world. From its pioneering years, Israeli music was created for the purpose of nation-building, but as years have gone by it has morphed into an important part of Israeli culture, lifestyle and society.