Kids Are People Too

Hello and welcome to the (unintentional) second part of my observations into how musicians are changing the world.

N.E.R.D. at UT
Credit: Julia Shatilo

I don't mean to keep posting on this topic but an article caught my eye on Austin360.com about the new website being launched by Pharrell, of N.E.R.D. and the Neptunes fame. I usually would not be as interested if it weren't for the fact that N.E.R.D. were kind enough to come by UT last Friday before opening for the Gorillaz at the Erwin Center, and do a brief Q&A session with some students. During the session, we got to listen to the new album, Nothing, coming out next month, as well as ask questions not only about music, but also about other ventures the band is involved in, and the political and social aspects of their work.

This is where the new site, Kidult, comes in. In the interview for Austin360, Pharrell describes the project as a news and entertainment site geared toward the 12- to 18-year-old demographic. The idea came about after he noticed the increased interest in politics among young adults, and the lack of sites catering to them.

Of course, after reading the interview and keeping in mind the political direction of the new album, I had to check the site out. I must admit, I was immediately engaged with the content and format of Kidult. The site features top news stories from around the world, interviews with entertainers and "Cool Job" profiles from various industries, user-generated blogs and videos. Couple the "little bit of everything" with the easy-to-navigate format, and you get a nice little package that goes beyond the targeted demographic, and proves to be insightful for many a college kid. Especially one on a job search. (I personally took note of a profile on a top PR executive in the entertainment industry, but the NASA one caught my attention as well.)

"Feed your curiosity" is the site's mantra and I think it's wonderful to see how high-profile artists are using their fame and power to encourage kids to not only find out more about the world but also to foster writing and independent inquiry through blogs.