Stars are constructed around images.
Common values of music stardom
- Youthful
- Rebellion
- Sexual Magnetism
- Originality
- Talent
Boy and girl bands have the shortest career life as there are so many bands and being different is very difficult as there is a lot of competition.
Stars are commodities (products) bought on meaning.
Stars depend on a range of subsidary media for example magazines, TV, radio to construct an image of themselves.
Star image is incoherant which means it is incomplete.
The theory is based on 2 Paradoxes
1.) Star must be simultaneously ordinary and extraordinary for the consumer.
2.) The star must be simultaneously present and absent for the consumer
Britney Spears is an American recording artist who was born 2nd December 1981in Mississippi and raised in Louisiana. She has been in the industry since a child starting out in the Mickey Mouse Club presenting, singing and dancing. As the audience she was reaching out to were children, her appearance and representation was very innocent. The media has watched her grow up and her music has changed very much throughout the years, as has her appearance and target audience.I have chosen to focus on three songs of Britney's which show her transformation throughout the years. The first music video being 'Baby one more time' 1999 which was the first song on Britney's album.
The second single that I will analyse is 'Im a slave 4 you' (2001), this song recieved a mixed reception from music critics as some argued it was the singer's most mature sound at the time compared to her previous singles, however others said that Britney was trying too hard to leave behind her girl next door image and said that her vocals were unnatural.
The third is 'Piece of me' 2007. The song was written as a response to the media scrutiny and sensationalism of her private life. I feel that there is a stark contrast between the first two songs and 'Piece of me' as Britney was suffering from depression in her personal life and had also gone through break ups and the birth of her children in between to the two songs. She is also not percieved as innocent any longer as she was in her earlier career.
Dyer's two paradox's apply to Britney Spear's because she is simultaneously ordinary and extraordinary because she sings about relationships, love, sex etc things that people can relate to however she is very famous so it not seen as someone who is easy accessable. Baby one more showed Spear's to be a very innocent and young performer who entertained a wide audience. Although she wore a very tight school uniform that was customized to look provocative she still represented herslf as a sweet teenager with this subtle rebellious side. Her hair in the video is naturally blonde as tied back into cute bunches with pink hair ties which connotes the little girl inside her. The back up dancers within the video all wore the same outfits of school uniform and performed a dance routine behind Spear's as she is the central focus.
The setting of the school shows the youthful environment in which Spear's is. Dyer's theory can be applied to Britney as an artist as she shows youthfulness and also shows a rebellious side to herself. The action of dance in the corridor also plays on the rebellious side of Britney as it is a very common rule to be quiet when walking through the corridor in schools. Britney's make up is also very minimal which also connotes her innocence as she wants to be seen as attractive however not provocative.
In the second scene Britney is seen to be in gym clothes, a pink crop top and white tracksuit bottoms. The pink colours connote the femininity of Britney and the white tracksuit bottoms connote purity, Her hair is down which makes her seem more serious as she sings the more emotive part of the song. She also performs a dance routine outside with friends looking confident and happy. She also does a backflip which shows she is young, fit and good at gymnastics. Later in the music video Britney is in the school gym where the lights are dimmed to which shows a deeper side to Britney is being shown. Her facial expression is serious which shows what she is singing about is truly effecting her. This shows Goodwin's theory as the lyrics to the song match the action within the music video. There are special effects within the video as a more intense dance routine is performed, the lightening effect connotes the feelings that are striking Britney, the audience get the feeling that this love affair is effecting her a lot.
The second video in which Britney Spear's is seen is 'I'm a slave 4 you' which shows her innocent persona shaken off and she has grown up and is embracing her body. Dyer's theory is applied to this video as she shows a disregard for social values relating to drugs, sex and polite behaviour. Also conspicuous consumption of sex, drugs and material goods.
Her clothing is seductive and her make up is very heavy in comparison to Oops I did it again. Britney wears a skin coloured crop top with flowers on it which could connote the little innocence that still remains. She also wears baggy jeans that are very low which allow the tattoo above her bottom to be seen. The tattoo shows her development as an adult since the last video in subject. The setting in which the video is filmed is a very empty and spacious apartment in the city. The apartment is filled with young people seductively dancing or sitting around very close to one another. Everyone also seems to be sweating which shows the apartment is very hot, which connotes the sexual tension in the video. Britney's second outfit consists of leather trousers with a pink crouch area, this brings attention to her crouch showing that she is appealing to an older audience compared to her last video Oops I did it again which was fun and innocent song appealing to younger people. The lyrics within the song also show how Britney has matured as there are sexual innuendos. Contrastingly Britney has a lot of contact with other people in the video compared to the first video, she is seen to be touched and caressed by men and women which shows the audience how she is experimenting as she is older now. The lighting is very dark and dim which shows the video is set in the evening when most parties happen and no rules have to be obeyed.
The third video in which Britney is seen to be extremely different from the first two videos, is Piece of me. This video came out in 2007 after Britney had a breakdown in her personal life. The music video has a comedic edge to it however contains very sarcastic elements to it. The video sees Britney in jeans, a sparkly crop top and a fur wrap. Her image is slightly tacky which shows the negative change in her since her last video. There are a number of scenes which show how the media has had an impact on Britney's life, resulting in her unhealthy outbursts. Dyer's theory can be applied here as a star is an image not a real person that is constructed through a range of material. Britney Spear's has become too involved in her image and has let it disrupt her personal life.
This post demonstrates some understanding of how your chosen music artist has changed and developed over the years. You have analysed the first music video well and this is because you have considered some of the micro elements.
ReplyDeleteHowever, this structure was not followed throughout, with the other two music videos and this makes your analysis weak.
To make this post more detailed, you need to-
1) Read over your class notes and ensure that you have included the correct points on each music video. For example, you have not focused on the messages, values and target audience in enough detail
2) Include screenshots to support the points that you have made
3) Elaborate on the points that you have made on Dyer's theory