From children of different ages being mesmerized by his short films and dressing up in jackets, hats, and white gloves to young adults who were born during the later portion of his life, it is very clear that Michael Jackson’s fanbase spans across wide ranges, with no doubt that young fans are a clear part of the audience.
But how often is it that we hear from a younger fan about what it is like to discover and even rediscover Michael and his legacy?
What is it like to rediscover an artist’s work and legacy, when the listener was not even born at the time of his highest moments?
Allow me to share my own perspective on this based on my personal experiences and memories of discovering and rediscovering Michael, as a younger fan.
I am 26 years old, born before the release of “Invincible” and am younger than some of Michael’s own children. My relatives liked his music but were not massive fans and so I did not grow up with his music being constantly played around our home.
So how did I discover Michael?
My earliest memories of Michael were hearing the songs, “Rock with You” and “Beat It.” I don’t recall how old I was or where I heard them for the first time, but I do remember those two specific songs being the first of his that I heard, and I always liked them. It was a case of knowing the songs but not knowing who sang them.
My earliest visual memory of Michael came at some time in middle school, around the ages of 12-13. One of my relatives was watching Michael’s 30th Anniversary Celebration in Madison Square Garden, which a television channel decided to air that night. From then on, I was hooked and began listening to the music, watching videos and interviews, and learning as much as I could about Michael and his life.
Now how does it happen that I rediscovered Michael after discovering him for the first time?
As time went on after discovering Michael, life happened. I listened to the songs less, went to high school, and it was simply a matter of the stages of life. Michael never disappeared from my life completely, though. If songs of his played on the radio or in public, I enjoyed listening to them and I could still recall details about his life that I had learned and would think of them at times when I was reminded of them. His work never disappeared from my life completely and it was always present somehow, even in the smallest ways.
Then came the film, “Michael.” I first became really interested in the film after seeing some footage of actor Jaafar Jackson rehearsing behind the scenes. Although the specific footage I saw was not featured in the film, everything sparked an interest: the song, the wardrobe, the dance steps. It made me very happy to see and made me think, “He reminds me of someone.” Give it a moment and I think you will know who I mean when I say, “someone.”
Fast forward to May 10, 2026: the day that I saw “Michael” in theatres. I remember waiting for the film to start and then listening to the intro with chills. Throughout the film, I remember spotting moments from Michael’s life and remembering what they were from or when they occurred, even though it had been years since I had really delved into his life. After the film was over, I had this feeling that I couldn’t seem to get rid of. A very happy feeling that involved listening to the music and watching interviews as I had done years ago. The easiest way I can describe the feeling is as a sort of “spark,” and it certainly hasn’t left since that time.
So how is it that I have this “spark” for Michael’s work and legacy, when I wasn’t even born yet during a large portion of it?
As a younger person whose favorite music artists are classic artists of past decades, being the youngest in the room is something that I am used to.
As a young fan, loving artists like Michael can come with a mix of feelings, at times. Sometimes there are feelings of sadness of not being able to see an artist you admire perform live, not experiencing new releases, and similar areas. I also find myself with feelings of happiness in knowing that people of all ages love Michael and his work, and that the young fans will continue to grow his legacy through their admiration of him as an artist.
However, I think that the most significant part of this “spark” that I received after rediscovering Michael is how it made me realize just how special him and his work have been to my life, and how he has influenced my life in some ways.
Now there are always going to be people out there who question things of this sort and may tell you things like, “But you never even knew them.” But what we must remember is that art in various forms and its creators have played vital roles in the lives of countless individuals, by creating memories or being there when an individual needed it most. Music is arguably one of the ways in which people connect to each other the most and many people have certain artists whose work make up certain memories or have helped contribute to a “soundtrack of my life.”
I honestly don’t think I realized just how impactful Michael’s work was, on my life until I rediscovered it. When I listened to the music again, I still remembered every lyric. At the time I first discovered him, was around the same age when I really started enjoying music more than anything and anyone who knows me knows how music is one of my favorite things that I could go on about for hours. I love research and especially enjoy researching artists and their lives to learn about their stories. The first time I really did that was when I would learn everything I could about Michael, and I still enjoy researching about topics I enjoy, to this day. Most of all, after rediscovering the work, there was a sort of happiness and joy that I started feeling frequently that hadn’t always been there…almost like the same feeling that was consistently there at the age when I first discovered the music, when times may have been a bit simpler.
When it comes to being a fan, sometimes there is a transition from being a casual listener to being a part of a community. From my perspective, I feel that this transition happens because of a desire to find and interact with individuals with a shared interest. In everyday life, not everyone is a fan of the same interests. This may lead to a desire for connection with individuals who all enjoy the same artist, series, films, or whatever the interest may be. Communities like these can come in any forms from fan pages, various events, and even websites like this one, that are all dedicated to connecting with fans of a shared interest.
There are some who may say that being a fan is “just a phase,” that some people may grow out of and some who believe that being a fan is a part of who a person is. From my own perspective, I honestly feel that it may all depend on the person. There are some individuals who may grow out of being a fan and some who may remain a fan for the rest of their life.
From my own experience, I did have moments where I thought I had grown out of being a fan, and those moments often occurred during periods where I didn’t listen to an artist as much as I once did.
In the case of Michael’s work, I had moments where I did not listen to the music as much. But after rediscovering the work and realizing how much it had really impacted my life and that I still loved it just as much as I did when I first became a fan, seemed to speak for itself. This combination paired with my enjoyment for music and the artists I enjoy seemed to make it clear that this had become a part of who I am.
I am very aware that I am a young fan. I am aware that one day I might encounter people who may question how well I can appreciate the music and Michael’s legacy, when I wasn’t there for a portion of it.
But here is what transcends that sort of concept: the same artist and the same songs are still impacting the lives of fans, even if one fan was born decades after another. To me, that is the most incredible thing that not all artists can achieve.
There are fans who are of all ages, and some fans are younger than I am. My advice to them would be to simply keep loving whatever it is that you love. If you recently saw “Michael” and loved the music, dive into his catalogue and enjoy it. If you loved the scenes featuring the filming of “Beat It” and “Thriller,” check out his short films and enjoy them. If you loved the costumes, check out Michael’s style and the various sorts of clothing he would wear in various periods of his life. Whatever it is that you are interested in, go for it and enjoy it. An additional piece of advice that I would give is that there may be times where you encounter moments, individuals, or scenarios where your interest may not be understood. My advice would be to simply keep on enjoying whatever it is that you love, because the important thing is that it makes you happy.
To me, rediscovering Michael means I can rediscover the music that I loved first and an artist who played a much bigger role in my life in various ways, before I even realized it.
As for being a young fan, rediscovering means that I may not have watched the performances live or rushed to a local shop to purchase the newest record. But it does mean that I get to revisit certain parts of my life through song, connect with fans of past generations and share our memories of past and present, and continuing to share a soundtrack of my own life with others, along with sharing the legacy of an incredible artist, and sharing it with all ages.
Written by Caroline Miller for MJVibe
Image Disclaimer: The illustration accompanying this article was generated using AI-assisted image creation tools (and not AI Apps) and selected by the MJVibe editorial team.
