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It's Sunset for the Moonwalker

Benny Dayal
Playback singer

When I was four, my father gave me a video cassette of the movie “Moonwalker”. That’s how I got into dancing and singing. That’s what inspired me to be a musician. His music is way ahead of time and will be heard even 50 years from now. Last night, I was at 10 Downing for the karaoke night and they played ‘Billie Jean’ during the break. And almost everybody was on the floor. The energy was so right, his vibe was so positive that it was contagious. He made music for eternity. After James Brown, he was the one who moved the world to tears when he performed. He will always be my mentor, a man who has made the impossible possible.

Shankar Mahadevan
Singer-composer

An innovator, a creator and the most incredible performer is no longer with us. We have heard his music and learnt a lot… He was the ultimate combination of mass entertainment with musical excellence. I am sure he was ready with something so fantastic that on his comeback he would have shocked the world… God bless his soul.

Saroop Oomen
Unwind Center

One of the first songs I ever performed was ‘Man in the Mirror’. I read his book Moonwalk and got to know that he used to perform ever since he was a child. He was always scared of crowds. When you read the book, you get to understand him better and realise that the life he had was a direct result of his messed-up childhood. And yet, he contributed so much. Nobody sings like him, nobody performs like him. There are bands and artistes who maybe like each other. But like Michael Jackson, there’s no one else.

Pravin Mani
Musician

Last night, I watched Michael Jackson’s tribute to James Brown on Youtube. I was searching for James Brown and ended up watching Michael Jackson. And this morning, when I heard the news from Srini (singer Srinivas), I couldn’t believe it. From tripping on his music last night to waking up to this news, it’s crazy. I grew up on his stuff. I admire him like nobody. I think he was an innocent kid who ended up in a mess because of his childhood. Musically, he has made a statement that nobody can repeat.

Vasundhara Das
Singer

It is a sad day for music. The world has lost a great talent. The saddest part of Michael’s life is that it seems like he never had a real chance at happiness. He has achieved what very few people have, and will achieve, in a long time to come. I don’t think there is a person who hasn’t heard or been influenced by his music, whether it was commercial chartbusters like ‘Bad’ and ‘Thriller’ or the humanitarian anthem ‘We are the world…’ As a musician, you need to be well-rounded, and use your power and success to speak to millions. He chose to do that.

Shekhar Ravjiani of Vishal-Shekhar
Composer-singer

I have always been a huge fan of Michael Jackson. He is the reason I am a composer. I possess every song that he has performed. I was there at his concert in Mumbai in 1996. I have the tickets for his performance at O2 Arena. Now, I feel I’ve missed the opportunity of a lifetime. The man is irreplaceable. His album ‘Thriller’ is my favourite and I was very inspired by ‘Earth Song’ as well. It’s shocking especially since yesterday I saw shots of him rehearsing for the concert and today I woke up to the news of his death. It’s a huge loss.

(Sudhish Kamath with Harshikaa Udasi and Bhumika K)

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