J-17 Interview

J-17

Overnight sensations - The story about how two young teenagers shared their message with the world

It was only 5 months ago when these two boys took to the stage on the hit television show ' Britain’s Got Talent' and amazed the world with their powerful original song “Hopeful”. The British singing/rapping duo comprises of fourteen year old Leondre Devries, and sixteen year old Charlie Lenehan, better known as Bars and Melody. They literally became overnight sensations and were seen as courageous to the general public, because they shared such a personal story that held such a powerful message. I had the fortunate opportunity to sit down with these two extraordinary boys this summer and interview them, getting the scoop on their journey and everything that has happened over the past 5 months.

So boys, firstly I must begin by telling you both that I think you are amazing, your song made me feel very emotional the first time I heard it, the lyrics, your voices, simply incredible. Please explain your motivation for writing this song...

Well since I was in primary school I was always being bullied heavily , I used to always get beat up walking home from school and it just seemed that I always kept moving schools and I felt like everywhere I went I seemed to get bullied, and I felt so trapped. I didn't know how to break free of it all, so I just started writing poems and my emotions out on paper, and one day I just heard this beat and I thought to myself wow this is a good beat and so I just started writing the poem to it and it eventually turned into a song. I also started rapping around that time and I always used to and still do listen to a lot of Tupac Shakur, so that basically was my motivation behind the song “ Hopeful”. ( Leondre)

Wow, you have come such a long way from then. The other day I read that after singing your song that a lot of bullies actually apologised to their victims, what's your take on that ?

Well to see that we could leave such a positive impact after singing our song is just completely insane. To actually see and know that a lot of people are actually owning up to what they have done and are apologising is just amazing, I mean no one should ever go through such a horrible experience and feel like they are constantly needing to look over their shoulder or not attend school because they are afraid. So knowing that it is all slowly fading away is remarkable. ( Charlie)

Coming from personal experience I am so thrilled that this has actually begun to happen. The fact that people are realizing that their actions are actually hurtful and can cause someone a lot of pain and suffering and are owning up to it as Charlie said, is just mind blowing. It also means that people are starting to get the message of ant-bullying and are beginning to take this matter seriously just makes me want to continue on spreading such positivity and enlightenment around the world. ( Leondre)

This is the last question for today and before I say it I just want to thank you two for taking the time to sit down with me, and that I am such a fan and can not wait till you boys release your first album. How did you feel after being able to share your song with the world?

Thank you for having us it's been great. I just feel so privileged and blessed that I was able to go up on stage and just share my story with the world , and to know that it created such a positive effect on many is just spectacular. ( Leondre)

First off thank you for having us today, I am just so happy that I am able to share awareness of anti-bullying and that whilst doing that I am also being given the opportunity to fulfil my dreams and it's just an enormous blessing. ( Charlie)

"Hopeful"

Oh-oh-oh

Check it out

Oh, no

Here we go

Please help me God, I feel so alone

I'm just a kid, how can I take it on my own?

I've cried too many tears, yeah, writing this song

Trying to fit in. Where do I belong?

I wake up every day, don't wanna leave my home

My mamma's askin' me why I'm always alone

Too scared to say, too scared to holler

I'm walking to school with sweat around my collar

I'm just a kid, I don't want no stress

My nerves are bad, my life's a mess

The names you call me, they hurt real bad

I want to tell my Mom

She's havin' trouble with my Dad

I feel so trapped, there's nowhere to turn

Come to school

Don't wanna fight I wanna learn

So please mister Bully

Tell me what I've done

You know I have no Dad

I'm livin' with my Mom

Just be hopeful, yes, I am

Hopeful for today

Take this music and use it

Let it take you away

And be hopeful, hopeful

And He'll make a way

I know it ain't easy but that's okay

Just be hopeful

Why do you trip every single day?

I didn't ask to be born but now I have to pay

I ain't got no money, you take all I have

When I give it to you, I search through my bags

I feel so scared when you shut me down

You kick me, punch me, throw me to the ground

When I ask you, yo, what have I done?

You hit me again, and make fun of my Mom!

I'm hopeful, yes, I am

Hopeful for today

Take this music and use it

Let it take you away

And be hopeful, hopeful

And He'll make a way

I know it ain't easy, but that's okay

Just be hopeful

What I wear is all I have

We lost our home, I'm livin' from a bag

Yo mister Bully, help me please

I'm flesh and blood, accept me please

Hey mister Bully, I don't know what to do

My mind, it can't explain what I did to you

Mister Bully, take in all my please

Every single day you bring me to my knees

Hopeful, yes, I am

Hopeful for today

Take this music and use it

Let it take you away

And be hopeful, hopeful

And He'll make a way

I know it ain't easy, but, that's okay

Just be hopeful.

To watch Bars and Melody's new single click the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wT3RhIJZu4k

Mother Tongue by Amy Tan

 I recently read an essay called ' Mother Tongue' by Amy Tan, Tan wrote about the discrimination of “broken english” compared to standard english, specifically referring to her mother. Throughout the text, Tan explains that her mother has been discriminated numerous times based on the english that she speaks which is seen as “broken english”. In the essay, her mothers quoted words were not only confusing but also they contained grammatical mistakes, yet Tan shared that although it seemed like her mother was incapable of communicating her words and thoughts. She was one to not underestimate, as her mother read high levelled sophisticated writings which Tan states in her essay “She reads the Forbes report, listens to Wall Street Week, converses daily with her stockbroker, reads all of Shirley MacLaine’s books with ease - all kinds of things I can’t begin to understand”.

An event that took place that displayed the discrimination of Tan's mother was when she went to the hospital to receive her diagnosis, as she had been diagnosed with a benign brain tumour. When the hospital had said that they lost the CAT scan no one offered her an apology or even saw the urgency in her needing the exact diagnosis as she had lost both her husband and son due to brain tumour, Tan's mother said that she had used her best english with no mistakes. Even after everything no one at the hospital sympathised with her mother , they just told her to make a new appointment up until Tan herself stepped in and dealt with the whole matter using standard english, then the matter was resolved, everyone at the hospital was far more polite and cooperative. The situation that her mother was placed in at the hospital just gave people the idea that her mother was not quite bright or was not worth their time, especially with the english that she used to communicate. After reading the essay and evaluating the different aspects of the essay, I came to the conclusion that just because someone does not speak standard english does not give anyone else the right to downgrade them and make them feel unimportant. I personally believe that if you are placed in a situation with someone that speaks limited english, then there are ways that you can work around what they are saying and find a solution that works for both of you.

Who would have thought it grade 11 how did I get here? More importantly where will I go from here! Let me introduce myself, my name is Dana Farah, I was born and raised in the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi to be specific. As I have grown my interests have changed quite a bit, I mean don’t get me wrong, I still love watching cartoons and old disney movies, however, I have gone from playing with dolls and having tea parties to beginning to think of my future and what universities I would like to attend. My main goal for grade 11 is to balance fun, and when to get serious and stick my head into some books, and most importantly to passing grade 11 and moving swiftly on to grade 12! I care about the fact that people no matter what race, culture, religion, shape or size anyone is, they should never be judged for being who they are, I really believe in that. The main two languages that I speak are English and Arabic, they play huge roles in my life as they allow me to communicate with my friends and family which I find very important as they are the main people in my life that I can always rely and depend on to always be there for me. Our various cultures display the appropriate qualities within our community, personally I identify through both the arab and english culture. I identify through the arab culture through family traditions where as I identify to the english culture through television, fashion, and liberal thinking.