The Many Faces of Michael Jackson

To the outside world, Michael Jackson was known as “The king of Pop”. Yet, Michael was a man of many faces.

Just like many artist today, Michael Jackson had a public image. That public image was the “The King of Pop”. He gripped an entire nation with the debut of his signature “Moonwalk” in 1983. Even though MJ had been around well before the 80’s, his intoxicating appeal made people fall in love with his innocent yet elusive demeanor. It was a fact that Michael Jackson made people want more and more of him. That was part of his secret. He was in many people’s eyes, “invincible” and “immortal”. He was an ageless pop icon that transcends racial boundaries and people from all walks of life seemed to adore him. As public as Michael Jackson’s life was, he was the most mysterious person on earth.

What made MJ so fascinating was his immense shyness and alter ego. MJ was totally different on stage then he was off of it. The moment he began to dance, he seemed to transform into a totally different person. He was assertive, confident, and sexy. His sharp moves enveloped the audience.

His best selling album of all time “Thriller” seemed to show the many alters of MJ. If you look at the video in a deeper sense, you could say that MJ battled with many inner demons. At the end of the “Thriller” video, MJ captured the attention of the viewers one last time when he quickly looked back. His face was draped with a devilish smile and his eyes mirrored those of a tiger. That part was so devious yet symbolic of whom Michael Jackson truly was. It depicted a young innocent man trying to find himself on the surface, yet behind it was a subtle malevolence. MJ indeed had deep seeded hatred in his heart.

In his third album “Bad” MJ seems to project a highly sexual persona. Songs like “Bad” and “You knock me off my Feet” showed us an erotic side. All throughout the “Bad” video, MJ grabs his middle. He was sending a statement to millions of fans. This was the right name for the album and reflects another one of MJ’s alters. It is a part of him. In a personal interview in 2003 on the documentary “Living with Michael Jackson” MJ said “If you want to know who I am, listen to my music”. MJ offers his fans plenty of opportunities to get to know who him; all we have to do is listen.

Over the span of 40 years, Michael Jackson has shown us three distinct parts of his personality. On one hand he was the “King of Pop”. But in the privacy of his home, he was shy and sensitive. Beneath the surface MJ was angry and resentful as well. The last known alter of MJ was the scariest of all. He had a defiant side. These are the many attributes of MJ.

MJ was a highly talented performer with a complex personality. His soul was conflicted and he battled with himself to the day he died. He will continue to live in the hearts of people forever.

He was a conflicted soul who battled with himself to the day of his death.