When people ask me ‘what is the greatest moment of your life thus far’, I do not hesitate for one moment: it was the night I got to play the piano for Michael Jackson.
Let me back up a little. Michael and my dad became friendly when he moved to New York in 2001 to record his album, Invincible. While I am well aware of the many controversies that surrounded Michael Jackson’s life, they had no bearing on the evenings that my family and I got to spend with him. My family was lucky enough to get to know him and his beautiful, lovely children, away from the flash of cameras and the chants of fans.
So, we were finishing up a home-cooked meal at my parents’ apartment and Michael, who knew I had played the piano since I was a child, asked me to play a piece for him. Of course I berkata yes, and of course it all seemed so surreal. I sat down at the piano and thought “How on earth does one entertain Michael Jackson? What could I possibly play for him?” I chose a Debussy piece - Deux Arabesques. It was the longest four menit of my life, the most famous entertainer in the world listening intently with his eyes closed. As I finished the piece, I looked up at him for his reaction. My jantung was POUNDING. My hands were visibly shaking. His eyes were still closed. He was silent. He then opened his eyes and berkata with enormous humility and a deep sincerity that still rings in my ear to this day, “Mona, thank anda for that. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
It was at that moment that I understood how unique this man was. He, the “King of Pop”, was sitting in the same living room where my brother and I had danced to his musik video in our childhood. And there he was, listening to me play with the same attentiveness that he would have diberikan a konser pianist. And he listened, all the while playing wistfully with his daughter Paris’ hair, making sure she and her brother, Prince Michael, were listening, too. It was the first, strong indication of a truth that would be reinforced oleh other moments with Michael. With all the fame and fortune he had amassed, with all the clout he had in the industry, at the end of the hari what mattered to him were the very fundamentals of life. He was kind, loving and incredibly modest. He absolutely adored his children and was zealous about raising them as good souls. He had tremendous respect and cinta for all kinds of musik – pop, rock, classical, jazz – regardless of who was playing and where. And he was genuinely interested in the lives of others, and would gladly take a step back to let them shine, even if it was for only four minutes.
It is really difficult to imagine what the musik industry would be like had he never existed. And it’s equally as difficult to imagine what lies ahead now that he’s no longer with us. But what I can say is that the world will never be the same without the great gift of his voice, his musicality and his unmistakable presence. So on behalf of all those who knew anda either personally atau through your incredible music: Michael, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Written oleh Mona Lisa Mouallem / ac360.blogs.cnn.com
selanjutnya >
Let me back up a little. Michael and my dad became friendly when he moved to New York in 2001 to record his album, Invincible. While I am well aware of the many controversies that surrounded Michael Jackson’s life, they had no bearing on the evenings that my family and I got to spend with him. My family was lucky enough to get to know him and his beautiful, lovely children, away from the flash of cameras and the chants of fans.
So, we were finishing up a home-cooked meal at my parents’ apartment and Michael, who knew I had played the piano since I was a child, asked me to play a piece for him. Of course I berkata yes, and of course it all seemed so surreal. I sat down at the piano and thought “How on earth does one entertain Michael Jackson? What could I possibly play for him?” I chose a Debussy piece - Deux Arabesques. It was the longest four menit of my life, the most famous entertainer in the world listening intently with his eyes closed. As I finished the piece, I looked up at him for his reaction. My jantung was POUNDING. My hands were visibly shaking. His eyes were still closed. He was silent. He then opened his eyes and berkata with enormous humility and a deep sincerity that still rings in my ear to this day, “Mona, thank anda for that. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
It was at that moment that I understood how unique this man was. He, the “King of Pop”, was sitting in the same living room where my brother and I had danced to his musik video in our childhood. And there he was, listening to me play with the same attentiveness that he would have diberikan a konser pianist. And he listened, all the while playing wistfully with his daughter Paris’ hair, making sure she and her brother, Prince Michael, were listening, too. It was the first, strong indication of a truth that would be reinforced oleh other moments with Michael. With all the fame and fortune he had amassed, with all the clout he had in the industry, at the end of the hari what mattered to him were the very fundamentals of life. He was kind, loving and incredibly modest. He absolutely adored his children and was zealous about raising them as good souls. He had tremendous respect and cinta for all kinds of musik – pop, rock, classical, jazz – regardless of who was playing and where. And he was genuinely interested in the lives of others, and would gladly take a step back to let them shine, even if it was for only four minutes.
It is really difficult to imagine what the musik industry would be like had he never existed. And it’s equally as difficult to imagine what lies ahead now that he’s no longer with us. But what I can say is that the world will never be the same without the great gift of his voice, his musicality and his unmistakable presence. So on behalf of all those who knew anda either personally atau through your incredible music: Michael, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Written oleh Mona Lisa Mouallem / ac360.blogs.cnn.com
selanjutnya >
The Michael Jackson estate is tired of waiting for Lloyd's of london to pay out on the $17.5 million "This Is it" insurance policy -- so they're going after Lloyd's in court ... demanding they pay up, stat.
Lloyd's of london originally issued the policy to cover potential losses for MJ's 2009 "This Is It" concerts -- but earlier this year, the company asked an L.A. court to declare the policy null and void ... claiming MJ lied about his medical history and drug addiction.
Lloyd's insists the policy "was restricted to losses resulting from accident only" -- pointing out Michael's official cause of death was "homicide."
But the estate is now on the offensive -- filing a cross-complaint, claiming MJ never intended to die, whether oleh homicide atau not, so his death still qualifies as an accident.
But the estate isn't just settling for the original $17.5 million -- they also want punitive damages. FYI, suing for punitive damages often scares the crap out of insurance companies.
Lloyd's of london originally issued the policy to cover potential losses for MJ's 2009 "This Is It" concerts -- but earlier this year, the company asked an L.A. court to declare the policy null and void ... claiming MJ lied about his medical history and drug addiction.
Lloyd's insists the policy "was restricted to losses resulting from accident only" -- pointing out Michael's official cause of death was "homicide."
But the estate is now on the offensive -- filing a cross-complaint, claiming MJ never intended to die, whether oleh homicide atau not, so his death still qualifies as an accident.
But the estate isn't just settling for the original $17.5 million -- they also want punitive damages. FYI, suing for punitive damages often scares the crap out of insurance companies.
Can I ask anda why
when I look at you
I hear birds sing
and see alot of angle In sky?
can I ask anda why
when My jantung is lonely
my cinta for anda becomes the only
, let it beat with dreams are so lovely
and I see Moon and sun walking togther
through the sky
can I ask anda why
when I hear your voice
the stars become so near
, I am not fear
no tears to cry
And My soul wants to fly
to touch to the sky?
can I ask anda why
I feel your hand in my hand
when I have to fight
throught the dark night
then anda turned the dark to moonlight?
can ask I anda why
every hurt I feel
anda come to heal?
I'll reply for
cause I have cinta for you
I never felt it before
but now I feel it more
cause It likes the rainbow
through the rainy day
,a magcial dream
through nightmare
and that cinta is enough for me
when I look at you
I hear birds sing
and see alot of angle In sky?
can I ask anda why
when My jantung is lonely
my cinta for anda becomes the only
, let it beat with dreams are so lovely
and I see Moon and sun walking togther
through the sky
can I ask anda why
when I hear your voice
the stars become so near
, I am not fear
no tears to cry
And My soul wants to fly
to touch to the sky?
can I ask anda why
I feel your hand in my hand
when I have to fight
throught the dark night
then anda turned the dark to moonlight?
can ask I anda why
every hurt I feel
anda come to heal?
I'll reply for
cause I have cinta for you
I never felt it before
but now I feel it more
cause It likes the rainbow
through the rainy day
,a magcial dream
through nightmare
and that cinta is enough for me
I would really be inspired to see less cursing, and lebih L.O.V.E. Just lovely words. Inspiring words. I know all of anda are very beautiful and kind people, but I really think the cursing needs to stop. I see we're all human, and all humans have moments of cursing, but it's still called human to it. May we all take a vow to utterly the cursing and wrong words... ? :)