Tribute to Kurt D. Cobain

I've always been a music lover. What oxygen is to common people, music is to my brain. I just cannot function without it. It feels as if I get teleported to some other parallel universe, and since music became my passion, my first ever gift as a child was a toy guitar, and second, a piano. Later on, my grandmother, who enjoyed music equally, decided to lend me her radio since she saw I just couldn't live without music. I loved listening to the Radio everyday, and the more I listened to it, the more my thirst for music increased, and I couldn't constraint myself by listening just to the local media and songs available. I decided to listen to all sorts of the world's music that I got exposed too without judgment. Slowly and gradually, I started to fall in love with sweet boy bands with all the romantic love songs on my playlist.

In 2006, however, my life started changing. Maybe it was because of the turmoil in my life, my interests shifted from sweet, romantic songs to more motivational media, and then to rock songs. It was not until 2007 when I first came across Nirvana songs. I was introduced to them by my sister. Bam! I was awestruck by their album Nevermind and I had to read up on their band details. As I kept reading, little by little, the details of Kurt's life, I couldn't help but fall in love with him. He was my first ever crush. Reason? His quotes, his interviews, his philosophy of life, his broken childhood, and the hardships he had had in his life; all of it helped me cope with my problems. I could relate with him on so many levels, and his music was the cherry on the top. He was the first ever person who introduced me to the word 'empathy'. I always knew 'sympathy', but never knew 'empathy'. Sounds strange? Doesn't it? But yes it is true. So I decided to read up on empathy and learnt it. I learnt how to empathize with people, to put myself in their shoes and feel for them. I learnt ‘authenticity’ from him. ‘I’d rather be hated for who I am than be loved for who I’m not’, these words taught me how to embrace my true self, and let it reflect inside out. They taught me I shouldn’t have to hide or alter parts of my personality to please people. So, in 2007 while setting up my Facebook profile, I added words ‘Be yourself’ in my bio, and they are still there on my profile.

I realize now that I had madly fallen in love with a rock star after his death. I remember days writing essays on him in my exams, wishing he was alive. I remember wishing I could do something to save his soul. His death note broke my heart, and I cried myself to sleep for days. It took me almost three years to get over his death. His personality had such a strong impact on me that I, for once, started doubting, I’d ever live beyond 27 years of age. Still today, I wonder, he was such a huge rock star with a powerful personality that had so much influence on a 20 year old 14 years past his death. The world lost a gem in 1994. The man who introduced me to alternative rock, which later on in years to come became one of my most favorite genres of music.

Although all of Nirvana’s albums are great hits, but my personal favorite tracks include "Come As you Are," "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and "Man Who Sold the World," all from the album Nevermind. After 25 years of his death, Kurt Cobain still continues to win hearts with his great music, and a too good to be true kind of soul.