Music Review // Ajay Mathur "Real"

What does it mean to be real?  In this music video for the song "Real" by Ajay Mathur there are images of seagulls flying over the ocean and many conspiracy theorists have begun to claim that birds are not real.   But the idea of whether or not a person is real is truly interesting as I believe no one really shows their true self to any other person.  We all act differently when we are alone than we do with others and we all have thoughts that we simply will never share with anyone else as well.  That's just life.

As this video begins I think of the 1990's, particularly a movie such as "Singles", and perhaps that has influenced me on the sound as well.   Elements of pop make me think of the movie "That Thing You Do!" but I also think of bands from that era of grunge that weren't really grunge such as Gin Blossoms and The Lemonheads.   This song is just so pleasant to listen to that it could easily have been on the radio thirty years ago or thirty minutes ago.

Perhaps my favorite part of this song as well, which comes out in the music video, is the fact that most of the scenes are shot in real life but then the version of Ajay Mathur which is singing the song, saying he is real and asking if you are also real is in fact animated.  It's such a brilliant contrast because so many people will claim to be real but not really know what it means and in reality they are a cartoon amongst everything else being real.

From the song itself to the music video, "Real" is just something that everyone should be and Ajay Mathur has done a wonderful job demonstrating that here.   It is important to feel like other people are being real with you but it is also just as important to have that confidence within yourself, to know that you are real.  If you cannot be true to yourself then you cannot expect that of anyone else and let this song serve as your reminder of that.