Research: Star Image

Star Image

Star image is the way an artist is represented to the audience. Sharing similarities with Dyer’s star theory, it is the image in which an artist aims to forward into the music industry, TV and social media. The audience is there to take in the messages conveyed by the artist, therefore helping to emphasize with the image the star aims to portray. Within the industry it is easier to find a gap to fill and stand out from other artists, this can help to increase an artists’ potentially successful notification and help gain notoriety from music institutions if the artist isn’t already signed to one. There are many ways in which music videos help boost an artists’ career. Creativity for one, is a skill any artist would love to carry, as something as small as creating a narrative based music video using elements of concept and/or performance, can create a masterpiece. Accessibility in terms of music and music videos are taken into careful consideration as an artist needs to question how fans and audiences can listen to their music. 

Some artists like Drake who release their music exclusively through Apple Music, which is iOS based, make it hard for fans without Apple Music, or even an iPhone to listen to newly released singles or albums. This can gather a negative reaction and lead to the loss in sales as they could easily pirate his songs and download them for free on the internet using file sharing and other illegal software. A music video can really help boost an artists’ career as linking in with synergy, other forms of media like magazines, adverts, radio and newspaper, are used to pave the way for an artist to be recognized.

An artist like 50 Cent has had a lasting influence on the audience ever since the media got news of how he survived being shot in the neck more than 3 times, since then he has proudly accepted this bulky macho man image, yet still hanging onto the magnificent tinge of being the incredibly rich hood guy with a millionaires style pad surrounded by a bag of 'bitches'. He hasn't particularly gained attention because of his positive messages and his constant objectification of women, yet his rapping style has caught the attention of an audience, allowing him to influence their opinion on him as an artist. 

Most artists’ personal lives are not entirely kept under the wraps with majority of the world knowing about his divorce from Shaniqua Tompkins, and him going bankrupt yet still have his own TV series, Power. None of his arts portray him to have a sexual or political star image, but the manner in which his videos are coordinated, allows the audience to judge his personality and character based on what he includes in lyrics and the visuals within his video.

Star Image – Sexual

There are four main star images that artists/bands like to portray to the media and audience. A sexual star image may be most common amongst female artists/bands due to the matter in which society models them around sexual attention from the media. Some artists’, male or female, can use music videos to exploit or to feel comfortable with their sexuality. Take Alternative-Pop group, Years&Years, their lead vocalist is openly gay and uses his sexuality to convey it in deeper subliminal messages within their music videos, allowing for stand out effects and elements of conventional representations on gender identity just as much as sexuality.

Star Image – Political

Then there is the political star image that an artist intends on putting forward, or tries to put forward to the media and mainly their fans, in order to be noticed as a political person. As I stated before with Annie Lennox, she helps with charities for HIV/Aids amongst other diseases, and charities working to help with poorer communities, while also producing music and sometimes adding an intertextual reference within her work. Some artists can use music videos to share their political views through their fans and social media, e.g. Twitter, Facebook. 

Macklemore’s politically controversial song, ‘Same Love’, caused a stir in the media as he performed this also at an awards ceremony with soulful singer Mary Lambert. The song was based on the social acceptance of same sex love and marriages, rather than judging these people blindly just because religion says so. It teaches society to accept those attracted to the same sex just as he does, his loyal fanbase will be influenced by this and also others who have never listened to his music, others may disagree with him, but it will be the majority that take this political work of art and use it to place a political star image on him as an artist and person.

Star Image – Moral

A moral star image is not as common as a sexual image, however it still has a lasting effect on the media and does help the artist transfer their opinions. This allows some artists to use their music videos to express their personal opinions on issues that they believe are important or significant in their life. UK rapper, Black the Ripper openly smokes weed and posts it on social media, labelling his actions as a way of allowing the government to see him breaking the rules. This may have elements of a political star image, however that is not the image he chose to portray, he also has a song in which he and other featuring artists are seen smoking ganja, another term for weed.

Star Image – Social

This star image is common within the music industry as artists can be portrayed to the media dependent on how they conceive their selves. With social media allowing fans and the media to get a more accurate insight into how the artist is away from mainstream coverage, artists’ can use music videos to represent a type of lifestyle or ideologies. Bryson Tiller allows fans to get in on his everyday adventures through smartphone app Snapchat, and because of this, an artist can be portrayed as being a happy person, showing the media that their songs and lyrics and what the media may represent them as isn't who they really are, thus allowing for their star image to reflect their home life. 

Conclusion

Having a star image with an artist is more important than you think as it helps the audience understand a specific representation with the artist and the messages their productions are trying to convey. To have a star image, no matter if it’s a moral, social, political or sexual, can have a lasting significance on the media’s coverage over the artist. If the artist is sexual, the media will make sure that all headlines and identifications are linked with the artist and their star image, e.g. ‘Rihanna in raunchy outfit showing off her slim thighs at the Grammys’. I may plan to represent my artist through a moral image, it may be to oppose the negativity over a simple matter within society, and by using my artist it could inadvertently model the influence to channel positive opinions.