The set list for a show is by far one of the hardest things to put together for many reasons. There
are many things to consider such as: the
costuming, lighting, dancers, transitions etc. Not to mention, you need to keep
a good balance in a show so that it’s assertive, yet fun and emotional at the
same time. You’d be surprised how long it takes to build a set list. To this
day, I have not completed the final set list for the May shows. Part of the
reason is because I let my feelings, my moods drive that. Granted, I need to
take into account that people MUST have songs like Thriller, Beat It, Smooth
Criminal and Billie Jean. These songs are the ‘untouchables’ and will be in the
show, regardless. The rest is up to balance, feeling and emotion.
While I am not
going to give away the set list, you can definitely expect a very intense show,
overall. When I define it as intense I do not mean aggressive or anything like
that. I mean intense in an approach type of way. Interestingly enough, this
show is coming together after much turbulence between the last show and this
one. Believe it or not, the feelings, emotion and personal undertones carry into
the work. It sounds very cliché but this (my art) is my way expressing my
feelings and emotions. Lyrics fill in for the things I cannot, or choose to not
express in words or actions. MJ wrote incredible songs that carry so much
weight in their lyrical content. There are also songs that are very fun, light, feel-good
classics like “Black or White”, “The Way You Make Me Feel” and “Remember the
Time”, which always make people dance, smile, jump off their seats and scream
off the top of their lungs.
The heavy songs
tend to make audiences (and myself at times) lose it and cry. From the stage, I
sometimes see people reaching for tissue to wipe off the tears. Other times
they just ball, literally! They lose it. Performances create a connection that
I cannot explain. There exists a unique relationship betwen the performer and the observer. When it's done right, a feeling and a message is communicated which in turn produces a reaction on both sides. It’s quite beautiful. There is no feeling like it. It’s
something I cannot understand nor do I care to as long as that feeling is present.
Sometimes the most beautiful feelings we don’t have to understand and that's when we need to learn to let go of our insecurities and torment. Easier said that done. -LC
Lyrics carry weight. Songs express and do for the soul more than years of therapy ever could.
-“You’re kicking me
down, I got to get up. As jacked as it sounds the whole system sucks.”
-“Beat me, bash me,
you can never trash me, hit me, kick me you can’t ever get me.”
-“You and your
friends were laughing at me in town. But it’s okay. You won’t be laughing girl,
when I’m not around”
-“So I’ve learned
that love is not possession. And I’ve learned that love won’t wait. Now I’ve
learned that love needs expression but I learned too late and she’s out of my
life.”
-“Just promise me
whatever we say or whatever we do to each other for now we’ll make a vow to keep it in the closet.”
