There's an interesting article in the latest New Yorker about all the British pop stars who have become so popular as of late (Kate Nash, Lilly Allen, Adele, Remi Nicole, Amy Macdonald). Sasha Frere-Jones makes the argument that MySpace has essentially "made" some of these stars too early--that Nash, in particular--needed more time to mature as an artist before she hit the big time.
I find that thesis less interesting (and a little patronizing) than the idea that MySpace has created a new way for these young women to "make" themselves. Power in the music industry has been consolidated in so few hands for so long and all of that is changing thanks to both MySpace and so many other technological innovations. The days of male music execs shaping teenage girls into pop hit machines and pushing them to market their voices only as an extension of their bodies may be coming to an end (at least in Britain). Even if you look at Allen or Nash's style ("granny dresses", vintage, healthy figures) it seems testament to the fact that objectification in the music industry is shifting. These girls may still objectify themselves to varying degrees, but at least they're the ones with their fingers on the button. Thoughts?
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Actually, scantily dressed female pop stars are alive and well in Britain, in the form of Girls Aloud. They are a girl group assembled via reality show, and it's clear that how they looked in low-cut tight and revealing clothes mattered more in the selection than how they sang.
Sex appeal is always going to be important for that style of music, it is also on the male side as well, just not as heightened. Depending upon music genre there is more room for "non-ideal" body styles as in real women with curves, but because sex is so highly important in a decision making process for so many people it will be a factor for a long time, if not always.
Have I mentioned today how much I completely hate the term "real women with curves"?
Hum, myspace actually empowering someone? Somehow I still think that the main way of getting popular on myspace hasn't changed, it's probably still all about how much you can take off (and how sex-ay you can look doing it). I hate myspace. (And there's also how useful it's been to pediphiles as well. Though I'm assuming these artists are over the age of consent.)
But then if people are being able to use it to spread their music, that would be a good thing. Except I still kind of doubt that it's anymore 'about the talent' than most ways of getting famous.
My apologies on my terminology, I did not mean to be offensive, I just didn't fully think through that part of what I was saying.
From my friend Shani, who is without Typekey account:
While it is wonderful that females are finding a new approach to get noticed in a male-driven industry, can anyone point to a single granny dress wearing artist who has made it due to Myspace...who isn’t inherently attractive and/or cute and/or quirky? Kate Nash is adorable. Lily Allen is cute. So they’re cute and adorable without taking their clothes off, but they’re still quite marketable, by industry standards.
You can't fault them for being cute though. And that's really kind of subjective.
What all of these artists have in common, regardless of their personal clothing choices, is a record label and the huge publicity/sales machinery that goes along with it. I find it so interesting that most people equate MySpace with being independent. This is not the case at all. Most artists finding huge success on MySpace are already signed to an imprint of a major label. MySpace is simply seen, by the publicity teams, as another arena to inundate with their "product." It's called the music "business" for a reason.
What all of these artists have in common, regardless of their personal clothing choices, is a record label and the huge publicity/sales machinery that goes along with it. I find it so interesting that most people equate MySpace with being independent. This is not the case at all. Most artists finding huge success on MySpace are already signed to an imprint of a major label. MySpace is simply seen, by the publicity teams, as another arena to inundate with their "product." It's called the music "business" for a reason.