You’re the raver in your friend group and people always ask you if you’ve heard Remix XYZ of this XYZ pop song. Everyday you’re introduced to new beats and when you hear a drop, you can’t help but dance. It’s hard for you to explain why your favorite music genre is EDM, but all you can say is that it’s not just a music genre, but a lifestyle that has introduced you to new friends, new experiences and life changing moments. You already know that electronic dance music is more than just a skewed music category, and now you just have to introduce this new world to those who are willing to give it a chance. There are so many reasons why EDM brings people around the world together as a community, but you only have enough time to describe just a few in hopes that your pupils will understand.
Reason #1: The Music
You don’t have to be a raver to enjoy electronic dance music or have even gone to a festival, but once you attend your first festival you’ll be completely hooked. The constant boom of the music, the bodies dancing and moving all around you and the attitude of freedom and acceptance are all emotions and feelings that will emerge. There is no way to describe how alive and present you will feel when listening to your favorite music genre, surrounded by people who share the same taste as you. All of your favorite artists are in the same place at the same time and now you get to dress up (as creatively as you want) and hear them perform LIVE.
Reason #2: Kandi
If hearing music live is not a good enough reason, then Kandi should do it for you. For those of you who don’t know Kandi is personalized jewelry (bracelets, masks, etc.) that people uniquely make according to each event and each artist they go to. If you get the chance to talk to someone at a festival, you can have the experience of trading Kandi with one another. There is a special handshake that you do with that person so they know that you have respect for them and all of their experiences that they are now sharing with you through their Kandi.
Reason #3: PLUR
Those who are really into electronic dance music have a philosophy about how to treat one another. This philosophy is to uphold peace, love, unity and respect (better known as PLUR). When trading Kandi, there are certain hand motions ravers can do signifying these four characteristics and their connection to the music and the positive lifestyle.
Reason #4: The Friendships
At every festival you go to you are bound to meet and talk with someone. The fact alone that this person enjoys the same music genre as you should be enough to start a friendship, but they will most likely be super awesome and want to trade Kandi, so now you’ve just made a new friend.
Reason #5: The Attitudes
The entire atmosphere of festivals is positive and incredible. No one is judging one another and this is a space that is free of every day worries and petty drama. You leave everything negative about your identity or your life back at home and you have a chance to be you without worrying what others will think.
Of course, these aren’t all of the reasons that EDM is more than just music, but an introduction to a positive lifestyle for those who are wondering if electronic music is for them.