RHCP bassist Flea emphasizes the importance of musicians being themselves rather than chasing validation on social media

JAKARTA - Red Hot Chili Peppers (RHCP) bassist Flea gave a stern warning to young musicians who are too busy chasing validation on social media.

The musician, whose real name is Michael Peter Balzary, emphasized that the key to being "cool" lies in indifference to the status.

Flea highlighted the phenomenon of young musicians today who he thinks are trapped in the pressure of digital images. According to him, the only way for anyone to be cool is to not care whether they are cool or not and still do their own thing.

He also encouraged musicians not to be afraid to express uniqueness, even if it is considered strange by others.

"Do your weird things. Yes, be respectful, learn to love yourself. Do your (weird) things," Flea said, quoting Rick Beato's YouTube channel, Tuesday, December 23.

He added that personal identity is much more valuable than social labels. For him, it doesn't matter if someone feels nerdy, cool, or whatever, because what others will respect is honesty in being themselves.

Flea also saw a shift in values due to the lack of real interaction in the modern era. The lack of involvement in the world and personal contact between musicians is considered to make freedom of expression increasingly eroded.

Furthermore, the 63-year-old bassist expressed concern about how young people today prefer to pursue a false standard. Instead of going out and getting involved directly, they try to fulfill the ridiculous ideas of social media. This is seen as a major obstacle to honest creativity.

"Kids really want to be cool and they want validation. And it's harder to be yourself with all that pressure," he concluded.

Flea's statement is an important reminder in the midst of an industry that now relies heavily on algorithms.

Flea, who has been with RHCP for four decades, proves that originality and the courage to stand out are the foundations that make a work relevant across time, far beyond the momentary trends on social media.