What Have We Done With Michael Jackson?

Michael Jackson was my very first idol. Like so many other kids, I grew up with his songs, his music videos, his dance moves. He was everywhere: in teenagers’ bedrooms, on city walls, in stadiums around the world. He was universal.

Born Black, later appearing white, he embodied a crossing of colors and borders all by himself. Even comedians, like the French group Les Inconnus, made fun of this transformation by calling him “grey.” A word which, unintentionally, captured his universality: Michael Jackson no longer belonged to one culture — he belonged to all.

From Child Prodigy to King of Pop

It all began with the Jackson 5, that group of child prodigies where Michael, still just a boy, already had the golden voice and the soul of a star. The story continued with The Jacksons, before his solo career exploded.
Off the Wall, Thriller, Bad, Dangerous… albums that became monuments of music. Thriller remains the best-selling album of all time, with over 60 million copies sold. But beyond the numbers, these records reshaped global culture.

Michael Jackson wasn’t just a singer. He was a phenomenal dancer, an unrivaled showman, a visionary who turned the music video into an art form. His moonwalk is still one of the most iconic gestures in pop culture.

Glory and Turmoil

But behind the genius was the man.
A man broken by a stolen childhood, trapped in an oversized public persona, physically transformed to the point of becoming unrecognizable. A man also pursued by highly publicized trials for child abuse — accusations never proven, yet which left a permanent mark on his image.

When Michael died in 2009, from an overdose of medication, the whole world mourned. Yet since then, an unease has lingered. Can we still celebrate Michael Jackson without discomfort? Can we still dance to “Billie Jean” or “Beat It” without second thoughts?

A Brilliant Yet Fragile Legacy

Today, Michael Jackson remains a reference point. His music is still used in commercials, his dance moves are copied on TikTok, but his name provokes silence. It’s as if the accusations dimmed his light forever.

And yet, who can deny the power of his music? No other artist has left such a mark on global pop culture. Michael Jackson wasn’t just a performer: he was a universal language, understood in every corner of the planet.

“Man in the Mirror”: His Own Reflection

Of all his songs, the one that moves me the most is “Man in the Mirror.” In this track, Michael isn’t singing about fame or dance, but about introspection and responsibility.

“If you wanna make the world a better place,
Take a look at yourself and then make a change.”

Everything is there: the belief that change starts within, that each of us can help make the world better. A simple message, yet deeply human. And it says a lot about who Michael Jackson truly was: an artist who, despite his flaws, still believed in love and the power of transformation.

What Have We Done With Him?

So, what have we done with Michael Jackson?
We celebrated his genius, mourned his death, and then left him in a grey zone — somewhere between admiration and unease.

But maybe Michael Jackson’s true legacy is not only measured in sales records or immortal dance steps. Maybe it lives on in what he left within us: a desire to dream, to dance, to believe in the universality of music.

Michael Jackson will forever remain the King of Pop.
The real question is not what have we done with him? but what will we do with his legacy?