I have chosen to look into the image and perception of 4 popstars who are seen as very successful and powerful in the music industry, thus being influential on people and children. It will be interesting to see how these powerful popstars portray themselves for their fans and try and work out if it is for the fans or is it just for the male gaze?
The four popstars are :
- Lady Gaga
- Beyonce
- Rihanna
- Madonna
Lady Gaga -
As you can see from the above images Lady Gaga has a very unique image. Gaga does not conform to the typical popstar image. Gaga appears to reject the male gaze in her image, which is refreshing in the pop industry, but is it true, or is Gaga just dressing quirky for the attention and there for acepting the gaze.
The above two images are examples where Gaga appears to be rejecting and challenging the male gaze. In the first image Gaga is wearing a leotard with a meat print, this appears to be playing on the statement that women are a piece of meat to men, but Gaga is challenging this statement / visson of women by grinding up the male in a meat grinder, thus making the man the piece of meat and rejecting the male gaze. Gaga has the power over the man, and is dominating over the male.
In the second image Gaga is wearing a plastic, see through dress which could be seen as quite sexual, but Gaga is once again rejecting the gaze by turning this outfit which is deemed sexual, into something that is quite threatenting, she is not interested in being sexy, she wants to make a statement, make people feel uncomfortable and challenge people to look at her if they dare. This is not conforming to the typical 'i'm sexy so look at me' but it does gain attention but just in a different way.
In this still from one of Gaga's music videos Gaga is seen shooting topless male models in the mirror refelction. The mirror plays a big part in the gaze, it is ok to look at the female if she is looking at herself in the mirror through vanity, so this shooting he male throught the reflection, gives the messege of rejecting the male gaze and over rulling it, taking power.
Although Gaga appears to challenge and break the male gaze, she also panders to the gaze too, Gaga strips off, she pulls sexual faces she makes males desire her. This shows that maybe Gaga is only challenging the gaze for attention, rather then then to make a statement against male domination against women
Beyonce -
The representation of Beyonce from the above images is very sexualised. She is making the males want her, inviting them to look at her, accepting and encouraging the male gaze. Does Beyonce need to pander the male gaze to gain power even though it puts the male in the control.
This above image is an example of Beyonce pandering to the male gaze. Beyonce is depicted as a 'perfect house wife' with rollers in the hair, wearing lingerie. This is conforming to the males vision of what the idea wife would be like. Beyonce is giving 'bedroom eyes' which is inviting the male gaze and encouraging men to look at her, by suggesting it's allowed and that she wants the man's attention.
Rihanna -
Rihanna is known for being very sexualised in her image and the above images confirm that her image is based very must around her sexuality.
This image is acepting the male gaze. It is suggestive, with the finger in her mouth and body positioning. Rihanna has her eyes everted which is allowing the male to gaze on Rihanna without being threatend, her eyes are closed so she does not know who is looking at her.
Madonna -
Madonna was and still is a chameleon when it comes to her image, she is forever changing the way she looks, so appears to be challenging what is deemed fashionable at the time, where as in actual fact she is still conforming to the norm and making herself desirable to man through body language if not clothes.
This is a classic gaze theory image, Madonna is looking in the mirror which is an act of vanity and through this act it means that if she is ok looking at herself it's ok for the male to look at her too. She is putting herself on a pedestal and allowing men to look at her.
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