It’s not about the music itself, it goes deeper than that. And a lot has to do with the different reality they live in.
When you’re a fan of someone’s work, obviously you always look forward to new material. Whether it’s music, books, movies… Especially when it comes to pop artists, fans often take it to social media to urge their idols to get back into the studio, go on tour or at least show some sign of life. As a fan of Shawn Mendes, I know all too well artists tend to go quiet from time to time. It’s unfortunate when that happens, because suddenly your idol is living their life in private and the only update you get are the paparazzi pictures going around.
To start, let’s make it clear: celebrities absolutely have the right to live parts of their lives in private. For every fan who thinks celebs owe them new creative work and updates occasionally, there’s at least one who will go above and beyond on social media to make it clear they don’t owe you anything and that you should be grateful when they do release something. I think both have a point.
Yes, you can’t force creativity out of someone, but at the same time it’s not so irrational either to expect updates from artists or other celebs. After all, it’s their job. And for most people a job means showing up every day. I, for instance, can’t just say I won’t do my work this week because ‘I’m not feeling it’. When you look at it through that lens – which simply is the reality for most fans – it’s normal to start wondering why your idol doesn’t release anything and – in some cases – can’t even post a simple picture on social media from time to time. Especially when you see paparazzi pictures of them vacationing and having the time of their lives all the time, doing whatever they want… Well, that’s simply not an option for most fans. And that’s the part that actually hurts when your idol goes silent.
Many pop artists offer their words as a way to connect with their audiences over universal feelings. But that relatability disappears when they decide to disappear for a while. Simply, because fans can’t afford to make that same decision in their lives. And when you look at it like that, I think an occasional sign of life actually isn’t too much to ask. It doesn’t have to be an entire new album or a tour announcement, it can just be a simple social media post (one that even an artists’ team can provide) to make it clear they’re at least thinking about their fans and listeners – after all they’re the reason why artists get to live their life that way.
Written by Nikita
Nikita – founder of Nikita’s World – is a Belgian author of feminist feelgood & a journalist specialized in pop culture and the creative industry.