Where is the line in separating the art from the artist?
Whether the conversation is Kanye West’s recent comments on the Jewish population, or controversies involving names like Michael Jackson or R. Kelly. Fans in recent years have been left with a moral decision to separate the art from the artist or separate the artist from their media consumption.
“We can appreciate what someone can do but we don’t necessarily have to appreciate the person producing the art,” Julianna Guerrero, a psychology major at Delta said.
This is a sentiment many people can relate to although everyone has their limits. For Guerrero that limit is endangering another person.
Guerrero said she was once a fan of a band called The Growlers, but in July of 2020 allegations of sexual misconduct were made against them by an artist named Arrow De Wilde who was touring with The Growlers in January of 2020.
After these allegations came out Guerrero said it became very difficult for her to support the band.
“I had to make that personal choice to be like I don’t want to go to any of their concerts, I’m not gonna buy a vinyl, I’m not gonna support them, I can’t support someone who’s physically harmed someone else because I can’t let that be ok,” Guerrero said.
The Growlers have 1.8 million monthly listeners on Spotify, clearly a devoted fan base but allegations like sexual misconduct can definitely tarnish the reputation of a band.
Kanye West has 78.3 million monthly listeners on Spotify, despite multiple media missteps, raising the question of how much a reputation getting tarnished matters when the fan base is so large and devout that they will support the artist through anything?
“Everytime I hear a song of his I always think about what he was saying, I think about it like damn should I be listening to this?” Mansour Sagna, Sacramento State alumni said.
Sagna said he has been enjoying songs from the West for a long time and it would be difficult for him to stop listening now.
“I believe that some artists just can’t be canceled because they have reached the point where their fan base is so large and so passionate,” Kilee Malone, Delta college student said.
Examples of this idea Malone poses aren’t difficult to find in the modern music era, but perhaps one of the best examples is Michael Jackson. The King of Pop is renowned for his discography but more recently with the release of the documentary series “Leaving Neverland” people have become more familiar with his alleged pedophilic relationship with children.
All that being said, every October when Halloween comes around, the sounds of “Thriller” can be heard on television sets and in grocery stores.
“It’s so interesting how people in society say you shouldn’t do this, this and this but these people who reach fame especially like crazy levels of fame, they can get away with a lot more,” Sagna said.
Though the previously named artists are responsible for their collective crimes and controversies, It’s up to the listener to decide if they wish to support them.
“You have to be aware of why people are being canceled, if it’s someone you care about artist wise I feel like you have to do your own due diligence,” Guerrero said.