Darren Hayes talks about Michael's impact on his life in int

[soulmum]

by Patrick Crowley June 19, 2017, 3:00pm EDT



"What about Madonna and Michael Jackson spoke to you?

Sad childhoods and a strict work ethic! Both artists came from families where the odds were stacked against them. Both artists worked with an obsessive dedication to their craft. Particularly with Michael, I identified with the relationship he had with his father. It was very similar to mine. I identified with how Michael seemed to be bullied by the media. He was mocked for his softness, his eccentricity, his image.

As a gay kid, I watched the “Bad” music video and it empowered me. It spoke to me in the way “Born This Way” spoke to Little Monsters. It showed me that it was okay if I didn’t fit in, because I didn’t want to be accepted by those people anyway. Michael’s image presented a fluid sexuality, as did Madonna’s -- which, for a confused kid from the suburbs of Brisbane, was hugely reassuring. Michael’s music and videos told me it was okay for a boy to dance, to wear makeup.

Michael’s biggest impact on my life was when I was 15 years old and I saw him live in concert. It was Brisbane, 1987 and by a crazy stroke of luck I ended up front row for ‘The Bad Tour’ and I witnessed him at the absolute Olympian peak of his prowess. He would move one finger and the entire arena would scream. I looked around that room and I knew I was going to do that some day. I wanted to life the energy of a room when I walked into it and I wanted to take people away from the sadness of life and into a dream world. That night, I stopped being a fan and I observed him as a student. He’s still my hero."

This is just the MJ part of the interview.
Here's a link to the whole thing.
http://www.billboard.com/articles/ne...ions-interview