"Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself." - Harvey Fierstein (Tony Award winning actor and playwright)
What's generating all the social media buzz around Arcade Fire's new video for the previously released song "We Exist"? Could the hype be centered around the handsome star of The Amazing Spider Man parading about in drag? Could it be the intriguing video concept that grabs our attention and mesmerizes our imaginations? Or could it be that Arcade Fire has released yet another memorable angst anthem? British actor Andrew Garfield transforms himself into a super hero of a more profound nature, taking on the role of a young man struggling with gender identity. Originally filmed live during Arcade Fire’s performance at the Coachella Festival in California back in April, the video has recaptured the hearts of Arcade Fire devotees and piqued the interest of thousands of new fans.
Although all songs are open to interpretation by the listener and lyrics are subjective; the basic premise of both the song and the video "We Exist" is empowerment. In an interview with Time Out Magazine, Arcade's front man, song writer and lead vocalist Win Butler confirmed,
"There’s a song on “Reflektor” called “We Exist”, which is about a gay kid talking to his dad. In dominant cultures there’s what’s normal, and everything else is abnormal. It’s one of the darker tendencies of humanity to think everyone should fit into a mold."
Arcade Fire certainly knows a thing or two about maintaining their unique presence in the placating cookie cutter pop music world. They are an excellent example of a rock band that has refused to be bullied by music executives or compromise their distinctive sound. Thankfully, they've remained true to themselves and continue to impress and empower.
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