I am a creature of habit. I like routine, rhythm, and familiarity. Change and transitions are difficult for me. Sometimes my desire for routine makes me less open to trying new things. I’m also a music elitist, and I think there are certain types of music that are far superior than others. I normally listen to indie rock, acoustic singer-songwriter music, folk, alternative, hardcore/metal, Christian worship music, Disney music, and jazz (which is a pretty eclectic variety). So, I never expected to ever attend a Brian McKnight concert, let alone actually enjoy it.
For those of you who don’t know who Brian McKnight is, he is an R&B singer, who gained most of his popularity in the 90s. I remember listening to his hit song, “Back At One” on a mixed CD that my cousin gave to me in middle school. While I do remember this one song of his from ‘99, I honestly haven’t really listened to him since then. After buying concert tickets for my cousin, who couldn’t make it to the concert, I ended up going to his concert last Friday at Nokia Live with my roommate. While I have to admit that I felt quite out of place since the audience was a demographic I am not used to being around, I really enjoyed his performance and watching him interact with the audience (especially all of the swooning ladies). And while I don’t like all of the content of his lyrics, I have to admit that he is a really good entertainer. I even sang along to “Back At One” with the rest of the audience. It was a fun time.
So what does enjoying a Brian McKnight concert have to do with anything? It helped me see to be open to new opportunities and new experiences that I may not typically choose. And during a time of transition in my life with new possibilities, I see that I can be surprised at how much I can actually enjoy these new experiences. Often times, the worry and fear of the unknown, and thinking about the worse possible outcome, hinders me from enjoying transitions and new things. Yet, this concert reminds me that new experiences are good things, and that I may enjoy something much more than I ever anticipated.
Also, I really enjoyed experiencing Black culture through an R&B concert. Since I don’t normally listen to this type of music, it was fun seeing the audience enjoy and dance to the smooth and mellow jams. As I like learning about other cultures, my world is expanded as I get out of my regular community to experience another culture. It’s good to be reminded that the world is much bigger and much more diverse than just my own community, and there is much to learn from other communities.
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