The 1975

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     The 1975 is an English pop-rock band from Manchester, England. I have been listening to their music for a very long time, and they have become one of my favourite bands. Recently, they won the British Group Award at the BRIT Awards, which they had also won two years before.
     This year, Mattie, the lead singer, decided to quote his friend Laura Snapes in his acceptance speech. This quote involved ideas about misogyny in the music industry, and how it is excused as part of some artistic process. His speech consisted solely of this quote and some thanks to his fans.
     I was very moved by his speech, and its stark simplicity. He used this award show as platform to speak out about an issue he cares about, which I deeply admire. It got me thinking about celebrities and how they influence the beliefs of their fans. Mattie has very present views on society and general conflicts, and I think media has allowed his beliefs to reach a greater audience, in turn impacting more people.
     When our favourite celebrities wear a new jacket from Gucci or use the new version of AirPods, we feel more inclined to buy these products due to our connection to the celebrity. I believe this can sometimes be reflected in their ability to influence beliefs. When certain celebrities join in on social movements on social medialike #MeToo or #BlackLivesMatter, I see that its expanse gains a lot of speed.
     This phenomena is one of the many forms of power celebrities have. Now, social media allows people to share their views and thoughts at any given time, about any given thing. Because of this, celebrities can tap into this power at any time they wish, reaching millions of people with one click of a button. Even though The 1975 is from England, they have an immense amount of influence here in the U.S., and all around the world. Just 2 weeks ago, I waited in line for 2 hours to get into one of their concerts. If that doesn't show their power and influence, try talking to the people who camped out for a week to be in the front of the line.
     This all goes to show how much power is in the hands of these huge celebrities, and how our own actions and beliefs can be shaped and molded by the ideas they share.  

The 1975 BRIT Award Acceptance Speech

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