Maddie Martin, The Commonwealth Times

A man sits, thinking over separating music from a controversial artist.

Many celebrities and music artists have fallen victim to cancel culture throughout their careers. However, sometimes, their actions are so incredibly shocking and offensive that their listeners question who they are as people.

One famous example is Kayne West, an American rapper with many successful albums and a huge fanbase who has been under the spotlight over recent controversies. According to Forbes Magazine, Kayne made several hate comments and antisemitic comments (Forbes). The successful artist has faced several consequences, like losing his Adidas campaign and he lost his billionaire status. Not only that, but fans are questioning if it is okay to continue listening to his music. People also discuss that Kayne is not in the best mental state. Some of his recent actions may not be his true perspective on these topics. Nevertheless, he remains a controversial artist. The artist remains on UK Spotify’s top five and US Spotify’s top artist list. So, obviously, he still has a fanbase for his music.

Furthermore, this shows that people can support the art created without necessarily supporting an artist who has done questionable or hurtful acts. 

Several other artists have also undergone controversies that have affected their musical careers, such as Ariana Grande. Ariana Grande is one artist who has experienced multiple scandals and made it through. Many people remember her for the donut scandal in 2015 or the recent accusations of messing up Ethan Slater’s marriage (USA Today). She is most known for her incredible ability to hit high-song notes. Recently, fans have expressed disappointment in her choices and feel let down by their idol. Once again, this shows that the music industry is seemingly toxic, and no one can trust if they are being told the whole truth about their favorite singers. Therefore, it is increasingly essential that, as listeners, fans should not associate artists with their music because sometimes it is hard to know the person behind the songs. 

The benefits of separating music from the artist include getting to experience a wide variety of music that still expresses how you feel or makes you feel heard. For many fans, it is hard to hear that their favorite artists might not be the best role models, but they can still appreciate the art that they created. Sharing her perspective, Ishana Jansen (11)states, “It is important to recognize the difference between supporting an artist’s actions versus their music. Especially when so many celebrities get into controversies every day.”

In this age of technology, social media, and cancel culture, it can feel like someone is getting canceled daily. It becomes harder to distinguish if celebrities and artists are truly good people to support or idolize. However, if you still want to keep listening to your favorite songs, you can keep your support for the music separate from that of the artist.