Just thinking about the subtle difference between the influential singing Apollo/Lester does vs Piper.
From what I can remember, we see Piper charming those around her through song twice. The first time in Blood of Olympus, to charm the Gemeni. The second time is in the Burning Maze.
We see Apollo/Lester singing hundreds of times throughout Trials of Apollo from his song to befriend the Mermekes and help in the Hidden Oracle to the Song of Jason Grace in The Tyrants Tomb and beyond.
When Piper sings, we are given the name of the song she sings to (Summertime for the Gemeni and Life of Illusion in the Burning Maze). She adds her experiences and self to the song. She makes the song her own by projecting onto it. She does not create her own words. She puts her meaning in that which is already crafted.
When Apollo/Lester sings, he takes his emotions. He takes his self. Then he projects himself to the world. Apollo/Lester crafts the songs he needs, and he is able to do it on the go. Apollo/Lester does not need the music to be there because he can do it on his own. When it comes to music, Apollo/Lester can do what Piper can and more. Considering Apollo/Lester is the former god of music, this skill makes sense. This was his part of his domain in the purest sense and just the implication that this was something that couldn’t be stripped from him no matter what... There’s something gorgeous about it.
Piper can take music, but Apollo/Lester is the one who can truly create it.
