Cameron Mizell

The internet and news will be flooded with tributes to Michael Jackson over the next few weeks, but I need to use my own space here to share my thoughts.

I can’t remember a time not knowing the sound of Michael Jackson’s music, but it wasn’t until college that I figured out Michael Jackson was truly a genius. He single-handedly changed the way pop music was created and performed. I think we’ll learn through various tributes that virtually every musician since the late ’70s has been influenced by this man.

If there’s one thing I learned from his career, it’s that there is no substitute for hard work. He was a perfectionist, and every detail played an important role in his music and performances. In my lifetime, I don’t expect to see another artist like Michael Jackson.