That LabyrinthDavid Bowie has been an irrefutable icon for his music, role and many other reasons. Doctor Who inspiration). Unfortunately, he passed away in 2016, but was spared the spectacle of our current pandemic. A tribute video that Willow Smith, Zendaya, and Kiernan Shipka made for him on his 75th birthday will not be seen by him. And perhaps it’s for the best – because fans are absolutely roasting the three twenty-somethings’ efforts, even going so far as to compare it to the Gal Gadot “Imagine” snafu.
W Magazine has done this kind of thing for years. “Casting Call” series for some time. Willem Dafoe deadpanning Lizzo’s “Truth Hurts” and Adam Driver’s Cher’s chaotic impressionIn CluelessThe series continues to send me over the edge. All this is to say that Zendaya, Willow Smith and Willow Smith are my favorite characters. Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’s Kiernan Shipka probably didn’t expect to get such a backlash for doing a half-read, half-sing interpretation of David Bowie’s (again) iconic song “Changes”The outlet. You can see their rendition here.
The comparisons to Gal Gadot’s attempt to bring us together during the beginning of the pandemic are all over the above-mentioned David Bowie homage. Gadot had invited several of her fellow celebs to perform along to John Lennon’s 2020. “Imagine,”They were met with harsh criticisms about how they misunderstood the room and messed up the song. The young actresses’ performance was also met with many jokes. One Instagram user even remarked:
It’s like Imagine never happened.
Commentators wrote that the tribute video was a great way to honor the performers/actresses. “blasphemous.” One fan even leveled at jab at Willow Smith/Zendaya/Kiernan Shipka’s collective age group by saying that it was “The Gen Z version of ‘Imagine’ … but make it fashion.”(Another fan said it as “If Bowie shopped at Forever21.”) Another wrote:
Oh, my. This is like the Imagine video. They could not pick the same key.
Beyond the allusions to the failed attempt, fans took issue with the actresses’ level of commitment to his profound legacy. Many found it offensive. “on his birthday of all days,”Also available: “painful”And “demented.” One person even insinuated that Will Smith’s daughter, the Disney Channel alum and Netflix star were not true fans, saying:
They don’t know what Bowie songs are, so why would you give them one??
The rest of the tribute video commentary was a mix between confusion and glee. Fans questioned, “Why are they reading these iconic lyrics off a page!!???”And “What on earth is this?”Some people said it was too “cringe”Watch, while another wrote hilariously:
This is what I love about a car wreck
You can’t please all icons. However, future tributes to David Bowie might need to be done with white gloves.