Today’s artist has adopted a subject that is… quite pressing, but one that is tough and seemingly impossible to tackle. Oli Chang’s “Big & Blue” is about the romantic yearning for a future with someone, one that may be threatened by chaotic forces far beyond any single person’s reach to control. Oli’s new song tackles the very personal—and genuine—fear and despair many of us feel when we think about the future of our planet’s ecosystem in the face of the many existential man-made threats it faces, specifically: Plastic Pollution.
Plastic pollution is a great deal, bigger than most people would even like to imagine, and while images of sea turtles with six-pack rings stuck around their necks can be dramatic and sad, the true threat of plastic goes far deeper and more insidious than that. Plastics break down into microplastics, which can be ingested by smaller organisms and enter the food chain, potentially affecting human health through bioaccumulation (Rochman et al., 2013). The leaching of harmful chemicals, such as bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, from plastics can disrupt endocrine systems in wildlife and humans, raising concerns about reproductive and developmental issues (Vandenberg et al., 2012).
Set against a backdrop of gentle piano chords and ethereal electronic elements, the song explores a hopeful future shared with a significant other, yet this hopeful vision turns to flailing dreams as it’s constantly interrupted by the stark realities of environmental degradation and the shortcomings of global policies in dealing with this rampant structural issue on a civilizational scale.
To further illustrate the dilemma, Oli crafted a wonderful music video featuring wide sweeping shots and astounding bird’s-eye views showing us juxtaposing images of natural and semi-natural spaces all clean and peaceful with literal mounds of garbage, where he boldly sat his keyboard, perhaps as a way to assume a degree of personal responsibility and inspire us all to do the same. The music video is merely part one of a series titled “PLASTIC LIFE”.
“Big & Blue” reflects on the intricate balance between advancement and conservation, envisioning a world where love flourishes alongside a thriving environment. Through its evocative lyrics and emotive composition, the song becomes a poignant plea for the nurturing of both personal connections and our bonds to the Earth.
CONNECT WITH OLI CHANG @animal_feelings
