Michael Bearden Instagram – MJ was already a superstar as a child! To me, all my brothers and millions of young people around the world, (especially young people of color) he and his brothers were a source of inspiration and awe! And, MJ seemed to be almost super human! I mean, just listen to the J5 version of‘Who’s Lovin’ You?’ He wasn’t even a teenager when he delivered that vocal!! Yet, you believed it as if he were an experienced man! Genius! As I started to rise along my own musical journey, I was able to see up close and personal what effect that kind of sway and power over people did to both the people, and the artists. I began to realize that an artist on this level was indeed an extraordinary human being, but human nonetheless. They, and indeed he, wanted to maintain as much of their humanity as they could. When you mean that much to so many people, it can be a challenge to maintain. It just is! As we worked on crafting the music for the show, I wanted to make sure the space was as conducive to normalcy as possible. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one. But, I can only speak for myself. I didn’t go out of my way to do anything grand, I was just me. I work with all artists that way. The music was most important. We shared many “normal” moments as we worked. This capture was just one of them. The time we had onstage in the grand scheme of it all was brief. But, no less meaningful. Connection is connection! Because at the end of the day, all we were trying to do was to move souls! Through love! That was the goal. No more. No less. Thankfully, we still have the music. And, I’m especially grateful that I got to see MJ up close and human! M~ #mj #michaeljackson #kingofpop #goat #entertainer #birthday #wednesday #wednesdaywisdom #grateful #lovemylife #beinspired #liveyourbestlife #virgo #spreadlove #makethatchange