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On Taste, Truth, and the Art We Defend

What I've learned about taste, context, and authenticity from making music—and why none of it matters the way we think it does

ARTS & CULTUREMUSIC

Ishant Panwar

8/25/20252 min read

The studio session from last week ended when an unexpected visitor entered my working space. The visitor witnessed my final work segment which caused them to display all their feelings without speaking. The visitor did not show disgust but instead demonstrated polite confusion that silently requested an explanation. I have seen that expression before and I expect to see it again in the future.

Our current way of identifying ourselves has become more about our rejections than about our passionate attachments. The unspoken cultural value hierarchy exists throughout our society because people think some artistic works deserve more value than others. We display our preferences as if they function as our personal credentials. We identify acceptable artists while discarding others because we believe this practice will establish our cultural expertise. However, art exists beyond both a hierarchical structure and an evaluation system. Art exists as human expression which seeks to connect with others through bonds that match their individual identity.

The term "bitch" which Kendrick Lamar uses in his verses carries both his personal life experiences and the social environment which he describes. Honey Singh uses the same term from a different cultural background and cultural reality. The two artists deliver genuine representations of their cultural origins. The actual question is not about which option should be available because both options deserve to exist. The real question concerns our compulsion to establish rankings which lead us to position one option above the other. Musicians who create music need to pay attention to all musical elements. I must disagree with the statement that Honey Singh's production lacks complexity. The construction requires your attention because it embodies its core elements which you must assess without considering your opinion about the lyrics. The way hooks stick in your mind, the understanding of commercial appeal without losing a unique sound, the choices that make a track work in a club, in a car, or through headphones during a morning commute—that’s craftsmanship.

The ability to create this effect develops through years of understanding how various sound elements influence human perception.