Peter Gabriel shared an emotional salute to Kanzi, the late bonobo involved in famous studies on great ape language—and a fascinating musical experiment the former Genesis front man helped facilitate. Kanzi died on March 18, 2025, at age 44, prompting Gabriel to reflect on "one of the most remarkable experiences" of his life.
The "Shock the Monkey" singer, always eager to explore big ideas and ever curious about advancements in technology, grew intrigued by reports in the early 2000s of animals learning human language. He’d spent decades working with musicians from other cultures, frequently finding common ground through sound over words, which made him wonder: Could that same principle be applied to the human-ape relationship?
"[O]ne of the things we noticed working with musicians from all around the world is often when we didn't share any common language, we could sit down and make noises together, and we'd find a way to communicate," Gabriel told NPR in 2013. "So, I began some cold-calling to some of these places that had worked with apes, it was, particularly at that point, and spoke to Sue Savage-Rumbaugh, who was at the Language Research Laboratory [at Georgia State] in Atlanta. And when I just threw the idea out at her, she said 'come on down.'"
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As Gabriel notes in the tribute, the program focused on the "extraordinary" Kanzi and his half-sister Panbanisha. "[They had] shown amazing ability in communicating with lexigrams that Sue and her partner Duane had created. It was also clear that they had a good understanding of English." Upon arriving in Atlanta, they asked the apes to individually sit down at a keyboard and improvise music—first with Gabriel and then later with his band. "There were no rewards," he writes, "and it was as much an exploration for them as it was for me."
The chemistry wasn’t immediate, though. "It took time," he adds, "to build trust and to convince them that they could make any musical choices they wanted and that they would be properly listened to." He elaborated on the musical exchange to NPR, noting that the apes were familiar with percussion instruments but had never seen a keyboard. "And I was working particularly with this wonderful bonobo called Panbanisha, who was there with her baby, and she was I think, of the apes that I play the most, sort of sensitive and responsive," he said. "And we asked her in the end to play with just one finger. Of course she put her own spin on that and took that as two one fingers, but then she began to improvise. And that is on the tape that you've seen and heard."
In his tribute, he says the results left him "blown away": "It was almost as if I had travelled through time and was having a casual dialogue with my hominid ancestors." In a YouTube video posted in 2012 (the year Panbanisha died, at age 26), he smiled at the memory of their time together, enthusing, "There was clear, sensitive, sharp musical intelligence at work, and it was very exciting."
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Luckily for us, he’s also shared footage from these encounters, one featuring Gabriel’s synthesizer drone and another with a funkier, more rhythmic backing. (In the latter, you can clearly see Gabriel’s face and the bass guitar of longtime bandmate Tony Levin.) The apes respond with surprising musicality, appearing to repeat certain melodic phrases and display at least some sense of timing.
Gabriel was so moved by the experience that it inspired him to help establish Interspecies Internet, which describes itself as a "global multidisciplinary think-tank working to facilitate the acceleration of interspecies communication." It also stirred up a song: 2002’s "Animal Nation."
"If you were to arrive on another planet and discovered two species that were less than 1% different, you’d probably assume they could do many of the same things," Gabriel says while introducing the piece during the 2003 concert film Growing Up: Live. "Yet on this planet, we humans believe we are much smarter than our ape relatives, but in truth we’re only .6% difference in our DNA. Last year we had an amazing experience creating music with some bonobo apes. They turned out to have extraordinary understanding and sensitivity communicating and playing music with us."
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The song’s lyrics directly touch on his time with Kanzi and Panbanisha: "I didn't meet you in the jungle / Swinging from a tree / I sat down at the piano / You were playing with me," Gabriel sings. "I couldn't believe all the things you could do / The apes I've seen were in the zoo / They say we are unique with this language that we speak / But you have proved them wrong / Skinner and Chomsky, how could they be so blind / With evidence this strong? / Intelligent life is all around us."
The Ape Initiative writes that they’re working with Wildstar Films on a documentary focused on Kanzi’s life and cultural impact. In his memory, they’ve established the Kanzi Bonobo Fund to "ensure the lifelong support and care of Kanzi’s bonobo family members: Elikya, Nyota, Maisha, Mali, Clara, and Teco."
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21 products that are gaslighting us into thinking they’re essential when they’re not
Some things in life are actually necessary—clean water, decent healthcare, basic human decency. But then there are the things that feel like they’re gaslighting us. The things we’re told we can’t live without, even though we survived just fine before they existed. Things like "smart" fridges, lawn fertilizer services, and yes—whole body deodorant.
Recently, our sister-site Upworthy asked their Facebook audience the question: What's a product or service that feels like it's gaslighting all of us into thinking it's necessary? More than 8,000 responses poured in. The answers were passionate, funny, and surprisingly unified.
Here are 21 products, services, and systems people called out for pretending to be essential—when they might actually be optional, overpriced, or flat-out invented.
1. Whole body deodorant
"Take a shower," said Shannon H.
“How did we ever manage all those years without it!! 😂😵💫” added Karen R.
Others noted it may help people with medical conditions—but for the average person, it's definitely a marketing creation.
2. Health insurance
It topped the list. Erica L. explained: “My doctor prescribes, the pharmacist issues meds, nurses care for people, surgeons do surgery—Health Insurance stands between health care and patients and says no, exclusively on whether they think it’s financially effective to treat you.”
Important note: Health insurance can provide life-saving access for many—but what people are frustrated by here is the profit-first system, not care itself.
3. The wedding industry
Multiple people slammed the high cost of modern weddings.
JoElla B. put it plainly: “We spend too much time and money planning one day, and not enough thought on how to blend two lives in a mutually beneficial one.”
Others called out expensive dresses, venues, and pressure to perform for social media.
4. Bottled water
Carole D. said: “Water in plastic bottles! Get a cup!”
While bottled water has value in emergencies, it’s often just filtered tap water—sold for profit in plastic.
5. Baby product overload
“Most baby products,” wrote Kelli O. “They really aren’t as needy and complicated as companies want us to think.”
6. Fabric softener
“It’s bad for clothes, bad for the Earth, bad for the wallet, and totally unnecessary,” said Gail H.
Some experts agree—many softeners contain chemicals that can reduce fabric lifespan and irritate skin.
7. Smart appliances
“Adding ‘phone controls’ to every appliance instead of making them last as long as they used to,” wrote Sherry S.
When your fridge needs a software update, something’s gone off the rails.
8. Makeup and anti-aging products
“Anything anti-aging,” said Melissa T., “Please just let me age into the gargoyle I was meant to become.”
Others questioned products designed to “fix” eyelashes, eyebrows, pores, and graying hair.
April S. added, “Products that women are convinced they MUST have in order to be ‘beautiful’ and therefore ‘loved.’”
9. Cosmetic surgery
Ron P. called out the industry as a whole. And while body autonomy matters, many commenters questioned whether insecurities are being commodified and sold back to us.
10. Ticketmaster and “convenience fees”
“Let’s go back to waiting in line at a record store,” wrote Nicole C.
Zaida B. added: “Convenience fee for online purchases—then charging $10 more at the actual event.”
11. Engagement rings
James P. didn’t mince words: “Engagement rings.”
The diamond industry has long been criticized for manufactured scarcity and marketing-fueled necessity.
12. Lawn chemicals and services
“Plant native grasses and you don’t have the pests or need for constant watering,” wrote Jamie B.
Environmental groups have raised similar concerns over runoff and unnecessary pesticide use.
13. AI and generative tech
“This stuff squeezes the lifeblood and individuality out of the human experience,” said Teresa L.
Saskia D. and others echoed skepticism about its necessity, even as many of us are being pushed to use it.
14. Funeral services
Amy W. shared: “My parents both have already paid to have themselves cremated and are very adamant that they do not want anything big done for them. In their words, ‘I won’t care, I’m dead.’”
Of course, some families find comfort in tradition—but the cost and pressure can feel overwhelming and predatory.
15. Rinse and repeat
Amy D. nailed it: “It’s just to sell more. Not even sure you need it at all.”
16. Credit Card Surcharges
Shawn S. took aim at the extra fees popping up at checkout: “That is the cost of doing business and shouldn’t be the burden of the purchaser.”
Many questioned why customers are increasingly being asked to pay extra simply for the convenience of using a card.
17. Constant phone upgrades
“Apple are notorious for releasing the same shit every year,” said Steph S.
Diana H. added, “Needing to upgrade our phones so frequently.”
Built-in obsolescence and marketing cycles drive most of the demand.
18. Vitamins and supplements
“If I took every supplement they say I NEED I wouldn’t need food. Nor could I afford it,” said Tausha L.
19. Fake pockets on women’s pants
Jessica W. said, “I have to buy men’s pants for work because women’s pants would just get torn up too fast!”
Form over function, and then they charge more for it.
20. Disposable everything
“The ‘convenience’ of disposable everything,” said Rick R.
It’s killing the planet—and draining wallets.
21. Tipping
“I’m sick of supplementing for corporations that refuse to pay a living wage,” wrote Susan V.
Tipping culture has evolved into something far removed from its original intent, and for many, it now feels like a burden shifted onto the customer.
The bigger picture
People aren’t saying all these things should vanish tomorrow. But when we start seeing convenience sold as necessity, and insecurity turned into billion-dollar markets, it's worth asking: who benefits from all of this?
And more importantly—who pays?
This article originally appeared earlier this year.