Definitions of Authenticity

Definitions of Authenticity
Definitions of Authenticity:
-Tim Taylor's argument: authenticity is the key concept in debates about globalization of music and
culture


-Historical Accuracy:
-Belonging to one culture? having its origin in a certain place or with certain people or groups > that is
why they are accurate


-Cultural accuracy:
-Indian food is spicy b/c it has chilis


-Fidelity:
-or a true self
i.e writing your own music vs having someone else write it
i.e what you do with your intrument
i.e. do you lip-sync? Sing live?


Problems with Authenticity:
-Definitions of authenticity have at their core assumptions about "essentialized" culture
-Essence: something we can identify as being an untainted cultural form or belonging originally to one
culture
-Problem: their is no one "essence" for music...
-Cultures have multiple influences, ppl inhabit multiple subject positions


Strategic Inauthenticity
-Not playing by artificial & arbitrary distinctions such as:
*authentic/inauthentic
*commercial/anti-commercial
*traditional/modern
(anti-commercial is usually associated with traditional vice versa)
-but claiming a place for cultural hybridity as authenticity
-being a subject of global modernity but not its object


Youssou N'Dour
Case Study:
-he is a pop star from Senegal
-Uses stories of modernization, colonialism, Senegalese nationalism, pa-Africanism in his music
i.e. Xale (Our Young People)
Dem (Leaving)


Angelique Kidjo
Case Study:
-pop star from Benin
-Self-proclaimed "Africa funk diva of world music"
-uses music as political tool...