I just claim to do what I do, which is to sing old songs and try

When Chloe Kohanski humbly said, “I just claim to do what I do, which is to sing old songs and try to make them cool,” she captured the essence of artistic expression and the power of transformation. In these words, Kohanski reveals that her craft is not one of reinventing the wheel, but of breathing new life into what has come before, making it relevant and vibrant for a new generation. This concept, deeply rooted in creativity, speaks to the art of reinterpretation—taking the wisdom, the beauty, and the power of the past, and weaving it into something that speaks to the present.

The ancients understood the transformative power of reinterpretation. Consider the Greek tragedians, such as Sophocles and Euripides, who took well-known myths and stories from their culture and reinterpreted them for their audiences. By doing so, they ensured that the timeless truths embedded in those stories would continue to resonate with each new generation. Sophocles, in his play Oedipus Rex, retold the tragic story of fate and prophecy, yet the way he brought it to life spoke directly to the anxieties and concerns of his contemporary audience. The ancient art of reinterpretation, then, is not a denial of the past, but a reimagining of it—an act of relevance and resonance.

Much like the ancient dramatists, Chloe Kohanski recognizes that there is power in the past, but that power is amplified when it is made to speak to today. This idea of reviving something old, yet making it fresh, is seen in the art of music throughout history. Take, for example, Beethoven, who, while working within the classical tradition, redefined symphonic music, pushing its boundaries to new heights. He did not discard the forms and structures handed down to him; rather, he reinterpreted them, imbuing them with his own voice, making them relevant to the world of his time. Beethoven’s symphonies were more than just a continuation of the past—they were a bold reimagining, just as Kohanski seeks to do with her renditions of old songs.

Similarly, Bob Dylan in the 1960s took the folk songs and ballads of previous generations and infused them with the spirit of change and protest that defined his era. Dylan’s music, though rooted in tradition, became a voice of revolution because he made it speak to the social and political upheaval of his time. Like Kohanski, Dylan did not seek to change the essence of the songs, but rather to make them new again, turning familiar melodies and lyrics into something profoundly relevant to his audience. His ability to reinterpret the music of the past and infuse it with contemporary meaning is one of the great artistic triumphs of the 20th century.

Chloe Kohanski, in her own way, is part of this long tradition. By taking classic songs and making them cool, she is not diminishing their worth or originality, but rather giving them a new context—a context that resonates with today’s listeners. This art of reinterpretation is not simply about reviving the past but about ensuring that the lessons, emotions, and stories embedded in the past continue to speak to each new generation. Kohanski’s claim to sing old songs with a fresh perspective is a recognition that art, in any form, is not static; it is a living entity, constantly evolving as it moves through time.

The deeper lesson we can draw from Kohanski’s words is this: embrace the past, but do not be confined by it. It is through our ability to reimagine and reinterpret the traditions and lessons of those who came before us that we make them relevant to our own time. Whether in art, in ideas, or in action, the future is shaped not by discarding the past, but by transforming it into something that speaks to the present moment. Just as Sophocles reinterpreted ancient myths for his audience, and Dylan reinterpreted folk music for his, we, too, can take the wisdom and beauty of the past and shape it into something that moves us forward.

So, let us learn from Chloe Kohanski: honor the past, but never be afraid to reinterpret it. We each carry the knowledge of those who came before us, and it is through our unique perspective and creativity that we breathe new life into that knowledge. Art—whether it be music, literature, or any other form—is a living conversation between the past, the present, and the future. When we reimagine the old and make it our own, we ensure that its power continues to resonate, making the past an enduring force that shapes the future.