Only a 13-time Grammy-nominated artist like Miguel—the singer-songwriter behind hits like “Sure Thing,” “Adorn,” and “All I Want is You” (feat J. Cole)—could draw a packed crowd to the MIT Museum on a Valentine’s Day Saturday.
Before playing his sold-out show at MGM later in the evening, Miguel stopped by the museum for a live taping of Sing for Science.
Sing for Science is a podcast in which musician Matt White sits down with both a reputable artist and a scientist to dissect one of their songs through a scientific lens. White’s ability to engage an audience was evident, immediately, as he bantered with the crowd.
“Spending Valentine’s Day with Miguel, you could do a lot worse, quite frankly,” White joked.
To introduce the episode’s theme of time, White began the podcast by playing “Nearsight [SID]” from Miguel’s latest album CAOS, the song reflects on aging, fatherhood, and loss, with a focus on an individual appreciation of life’s brevity.
White then brought out Miguel, as well as author and science historian Jimena Canales, and the crowd erupted in anticipatory applause.
Miguel, wearing an all-black outfit and a baseball cap, politely addressed the audience as he took a seat between White and Canales.
White dove right into Miguel’s music, attempting to put “Nearsight [SID]” in conversation with the theme of the episode.
“The title itself refers to both perception (Nearsight) and time (SID – slow it down),” White said. “What role does time play in this song?”
Miguel explained to the audience that the song is about impermanence and how the passing of time can change pace depending on how you choose to appreciate it.
“Nearsighted [SID]” places a large emphasis on trying to live in the moment.
“Slow it down for me, ’cause maybe I’ll, I’ll never feel this way again,” Miguel sings in the chorus.
“My wish is to have been more involved and aware of what was happening … as opposed to moving on autopilot,” said Miguel. “It’s a bit of a prayer as well as a recognition … of my own interaction with time, and how that can skew my appreciation or lack thereof.”
White then turned to Canales to offer a scientific explanation for the individual perception of time, and why people might feel that they are moving slower or faster in a given moment.
“Time varies according to a gravitational field,” Canales said. “Time slows down the closer you are to a strong gravitational center.”
Canales tied in Einstein’s theory of relativity to validate time as a measurable force in reality. She told the audience that those seated in the very top row of the venue were experiencing time slightly faster than those closer to the ground, soliciting a couple of gasps from the audience as well as Miguel.
Canales engaged with the ideas of Henri Bergson, a French philosopher who argued that time is subjective. She explained that philosophy and science can coexist and work together to explain our feelings associated with the speed of time.
“We want to use [clocks] to go to things that interest us, and in [Bergson’s] point of view, it is the unmeasurable aspect of time that should have a higher purchase on reality,” Canales said.
White, Canales, and Miguel established that time is not a fixed dimension. They encouraged people to pursue meaningful experiences, rather than living according to a clock, an idea which resonated with Miguel’s “Nearsight [SID].”
“The more appreciation I have for the memorable things, the more unique they seem,” Miguel said. “Maybe I wrote this song as a reminder to myself to pay more attention.”
White finished the talk by prompting audience members to buy tickets to Miguel’s concert at the MGM later that evening. Miguel laughed and shyly explained the show was sold out—a bit of candor which brought applause from the crowd.
As the conversation concluded, White wished the crowd a happy Valentine’s Day, and Miguel expressed his gratitude to the audience. When Miguel began walking backstage, some optimistic audience members chased after him in hopes of a photo, but others remained in thoughtful reflection, considering their own perception of time.
