4 Storytelling Lessons From Michael Jackson
This may seem like a strange topic.
Michael Jackson was a musician, not a storyteller.
Is the title correct?
Yes.
If you see how Michael Jackson was marketed, he was a musician.
If you ask him what he was, he was a musician.
But if you press him even further, he would say he was a storyteller.
During his rise, he and MTV had a synergistic relationship.
Before, an artist would create a song and call it that.
They may have some visuals, but not much.
However, Michel Jackson wanted to change that.
He wanted his music video, Thriller, to be a story.
One that can be replayed over and over again.
Once Thriller was released on MTV, it made MTV the go-to place for music videos.
Also, the music video showed that Michael Jackson wasn’t only the King of Pop…
- He was the king who could tell tales.
In this article, I’m going to share 4 storytelling lessons you can learn from Michel Jackson.
He was more than music alone.
Lesson 1: The Importance of Visual Communication
Michael Jackson was a very lonely man.
From childhood to adulthood.
As a child, he was a prodigy.
With great powers comes great responsibility.
And for Michael’s great powers came great practice.
He was practicing nonstop with his brothers.
His dad was militant in terms of practicing.
As he grew up, he became more of a star.
He couldn’t go outside without causing a ruckus.
So, he spent a lot of time alone.
He considered himself the loneliest man on the planet.
‘So?’
Well, the rare times he did step out, he was flashy.
He didn’t just do this because of his ego.
He knew the importance of visual communication.
The glove.
The hat.
His overall style.
The eccentric music videos.
Humans process tons of information with their eyes.
If you, the storyteller, can capture the audience’s eyes, then you have captured them.
Assess if your facial expressions match your story.
- When you’re setting up a joke, smile more.
- When you are about to make a serious point, frown more.
The eyes, homie.
They listen too…
Lesson 2: Repetition is King
Another storytelling lesson from Michael Jackson is the importance of repetition.
His iconic moonwalk was not born in a day.
Since he practiced so much:
His nervous system became an antenna for creative insights.
Listen to any of his in-depth interviews.
He didn’t think he was creating his songs and dance moves.
Instead, he believed that he was an antenna that was picking up a signal.
Other creative geniuses’ like Nikola Tesla have echoed the same sentiment.
Nikola said his brain was an antenna that was picking up signals from a higher power.
No need to go super metaphysical.
But here is the lesson:
Repetition transforms you.
Some people whine about not being creative.
You ask them how many times they attempted to be creative and they answer:
‘Um.. like 5 times.’
5 times??
Try 500,000 times.
Then come back and whine.
The more you practice telling stories, the more you transform yourself internally.
That’s when great story ideas come to you.
Sort of like great dance moves came to Michael Jackson.
Lesson 3: Branding Matters
There was a year when Michal Jackson got burned.
He was filming a commercial for Pepsi.
Then there was a flare from the stage.
The flare lit up his greasy hair and set his head on fire!
He suffered a 2nd-degree burn.
Was in serious pain.
And even began taking painkillers.
As he was being wheeled to the hospital, Michael had his assistant give him his shiny glove.
He didn’t want the press to see him in this vulnerable position without at least getting something out of it.
So, he put on his iconic glove.
The story got a lot of press.
As did his iconic glove.
Is that the smartest thing to do?
I don’t know if that was the smartest thing to do.
Neverthelss, Michael Jackson understood that branding matters.
Learning about a brand teaches you about storytelling.
A brand connects with your heart and bypasses logic.
You can learn a lot about storytelling by asking what your favorite brand is.
Why do you resonate with them so much?
We all have a brand like that.
Even though it is not good for us, we are loyal to it.
Just like Michael was loyal to his glove.
Lesson 4: Dark Parts of Media
The media builds you up to tear you down.
There were a lot of questionable things about Michael Jackson’s past.
I’ll be real…
I’m not caught up with all the accusations and legal troubles to have an opinion on the matter.
But what I do know from Michael’s situation is that the media has a lot of power.
They have the ability to create a story.
The same media that dubbed Michael Jackson as the King of Pop eventually ran tabloid after tabloid.
I believe this sheds light on the dark part of storytelling.
A story can inspire.
But in the same breath, a story can also tear others down.
Study the mainstream media.
Study new media.
You will learn a lot about storytelling.
Level Up Your Storytelling Skills
Whether you love Michael Jackson or hate him.
Vibe with his art or despise it.
There is no denying that he knew certain things that others didn’t.
That’s what allowed him to become elite in his field.
Anyone who becomes elite in their field must become fluent in storytelling.
From visual communication to repetition to a strong understanding of the importance of branding.
When Michael Jackson’s name comes up, the masses still have memories.
For more practical tips on storytelling, be sure to check out my book:
- The Art & Science of Storytelling: Learn How to Tell Better Stories in Conversations, Business Communication, Leadership & Brand Building
This book will teach you more about:
- Branding.
- How to practice telling stories.
- Creating conflicts.
- Designing resolutions.
- Spotting fake news.
And much more!
Grab a copy here:
Ebook
Paperback/Kindle
Audiobook
– ArmaniTalks 
