TIME magazine has revealed its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Among the notable musicians on this year’s TIME 100 are Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, BTS, Lady Gaga, Khalid, and Ozuna. In addition, several musicians wrote blurbs about the entrants. Beyoncé, for example, wrote about Michelle Obama, who is listed as an Icon.
“Loving Michelle Obama wasn’t much of a choice. It was something that came naturally, because of how she carried herself,” wrote Beyoncé. “She would’ve been impactful simply by being in the White House, the first African-American First Lady. But she also used her position of power to improve the world around her. Her initiative Reach Higher, for example, encourages young people to complete their education past high school. She empowers all of us to interrogate our fears and surpass greatness.”
Other notable musicians who contributed to the list include Shawn Mendes (writing about Taylor Swift, Icon), Celine Dion (Lady Gaga, Icon), Halsey (BTS, Artist), Justin Timberlake (Tiger Woods, Titan), Daddy Yankee (Ozuna, Artist), Alicia Keys (Khalid, Artist), and Troye Sivan (Ariana Grande, Artist).
“Wearing her heart on her sleeve and in her work, she oozes those emotions in abundance,” Sivan wrote of Grande. “Armed with a full comprehension of how the world consumes music today, she is an industry game changer.”
Also included in the 2019 TIME 100 are Spike Lee (Icon, written about by Jordan Peele), “Surviving R. Kelly” director dream hampton (Artist, written by Tarana Burke), ROMA star Yalitza Aparicio (Artist, written by Alfonso Cuarón), and Rami Malek (Artist, written by Robert Downey Jr.).
“Spike Lee can’t be described in a single word,” Jordan Peele wrote. “But to me, the common thread across his career may be his impeccable timing—his ability to understand the cultural landscape of the moment and deliver a spot-on message.” Check out the full 2019 TIME 100 list.
https://pitchfork.com/news/beyonce-writes-about-michelle-obama-for-2019-time-100-list
