Competition

This past week, I was honored with three BC Interior Music awards nominations and started thinking about contests and why we enter them. Don't get me wrong, I'm absolutely stoked that I was nominated. It's a good feeling knowing that somebody thinks you're worthy of the nod.

And seeing as the Junos just passed, I wondered about the whole process and why we enter contests. Oh I can see if it's a competitive sport like hockey or track, it's the best athelete that wins [usually]. Bue how do you equate the best when it comes to art or music? I would think it would be very hard to be objective in an artistic competition. What is the best art? Someone's technical skill more advanced then someone else's? More singable lyrics and melodies? More sales?

See that's my point. Without the benefit of objectivity how can you choose the 'best' in art? There will always be someone who is more the flavor of the moment. Someone who is more popular, a better musician, a better singer/performer. But does that make them the best?

It seems to me that the winners of the Junos and Grammys usually come from the same gene pool. Year after year we seem to celebrate the same folks, and it's no different in the smaller award shows. Does that make them the best?

I also wondered at the ones who entered but weren't chosen. I hate to say this but even if you don't really try, there is still some feeling of 'not being good enough' when you're not nominated. I'm not talking about winning. I'm talking about the nod from you peers. And that's so not true. Just because you're not in the running, doesn't mean you don't have value or your art is not true.

So why as human beings do we need the validity that seems to come from winning? And I'm not talking the Charlie Sheen kind of winning, I'm talking about recognition of sorts.

You know someone once said to me {thank you Norm Strauss} that a strong man doesn't have to prove they're strong. Good advice and words worth remembering when we don't win. It should be enough that we are doing what we do and generating original art into the great pool of art in the world.

Ah but there's that word.....should......