Analysis of Star and Dyer's Theory

Analysis of Star and Dyer's Theory

The term star refers to a set of meanings which are constructed around a musical performer or icon, this enables the artist to sell to a large and loyal target audience. There are many common values of "stardom" this includes, youthfulness, which enables the artist to interact and understand their target audience which makes their music relatable and enjoyable. Aggression and anger, which may express the opinion of the audience which may not necessarily be heard otherwise. The star also has elements of originality which helps appeal to different target audience so that not every star is the same.

Dyer's theory is split into three sections, this is audiences and institutions, constitutions and hegemony. He believes that stars are made for purely money purposes and are not real people as they are constructed through ranges of materials such as advertising, magazine adverts and films. The star image is then seen to the audience as 'open' based on two key paradoxes. With the term star referring to meanings which contract a music performer which engages and sells to a wider target audience. This overall means that the band or artist will benefit the institution as they become well known and are at their height of stardom. Hegemony is the idea that the target audience relates to the star in some way, also replicating some of the stars behavior and actions.

Many artists may feel that they need to reinvent their image and style within the music industry. Ways in which an artist may do this is by changing up their appearance, genre of music or the style of their music. This could be for a number of reasons. An artist may feel that they have become somebody who they are not because of the media and influences of stardom and finding that they want to become a better person. They may also want to break away from an image that they have or have been given, an example of this could be how they have been portrayed due to issues with drug abuse in which they have created an image for themselves which their fans no longer idolize and want to be associated with. Furthermore, an artist may have grown up and feel as though they would like to target a different, more mature audience to show who they are and not continue being an artist which was created for them.  An example of this is Miley Cyrus, who is now seen differently to how she was viewed as childhood Disney star Hannah Montana. 

Justin Bieber has reinvented his image to his fans a number of times throughout the years. He began as a breakthrough teenage sensation as a young boy in which he won the attention of many young, teenage girl fans. Justin's music videos and songs were typically based around the subject of love and involved a cliche love story which helped to represent him as sweet and innocent. Justin Biebers image later went on to develop as he was then portrayed differently as he matured with his target audience. I think that his songs captured his lifestyle of partying, women and having a good time. This could be seen throughout the "Beauty and a Beat" music video which shows Justin and many friends at a water park party drinking, dancing and seeming as though they do not have any worries. This attracts the audience as it shows the audience what Justin is all about, which is having fun and this is what an audience likes to see as they do not and will not admire a star if they are to superficial and  serious all of the time. However, Justin Bieber developed into a more mature pop music artist as he got older. This is because the style of music he had been producing also may not have appealed to his fans as they also matured along with the artist. Still wanting to produce music which the audience can relate to. 

Michael Jackson is another star which has reinvented his image multiple times. The star began his music career as a child in the popular family group Jackson 5, as the lead singer. The beginning of Michael's career was completely different to what he became known as when he matured. As part of the Jackson 5, Michael Jackson sang mainly Motown songs. Not only this, but Michael Jackson also looked very different at the beginning of his career. Michael then moved onto a solo career at the young age of 13, with his music genre changing from Motown to combined genres. For example, Michael released a song called "Rockin' Robin" which would be classed as R and B along with "Got To Be There" which were not considered Motown and were a complete different and change of genre to what Michael was originally singing alongside band Jackson 5. Further on in Michael career he again reinvented his music style, now singing mainly pop and funk songs creating the title for himself which he was known worldwide for as "The King of Pop" in addition to this Michael's image also altered as he changed his appearance dramatically since he was a child. The reasons for Michael wanting to change his image and the music which he originally sang was to be considered an individual artist and break away from the way in which he was previously known as a member of a band with his family. Also wanting to develop his music as he matured.

Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana - Best of Both Worlds

Miley Cyrus is another star which has reinvented her image multiple times. Miley Cyrus began her music career as a teenage pop star on a show called "Hannah Montana" on Disney Channel. The show was based on a young girl who was also a pop star, by day she was seen as an ordinary girl, and by night became a teenage sensation pop star. However, Miley Cyrus reinvented her image due to the fact she had matured, much like her target audience and wanted to create music still which would engage them and which they could still relate to. She could not continue to create music for the younger generation as the majority of young children had now not followed the story of "Hannah Montana" unlike her current target audience.

Goodwin's Theory is evident throughout Miley Cyrus music video as Hannah Montana "Best of Both Worlds" as the music video is performance based. This can be seen through the way the artist is seen singing and dancing on stage, performing to the camera. This helps to display the personality of the audience, building a relationship between the artist and audience as the audience feel as though they have an insight as they are seeing the fun, energetic artist close up, doing what she enjoys most. Furthermore, the performance usually includes memorable choreography which engages the target audience further. Meaning they will be able to copy the artist that they idolize.

Dyer's theory is also present throughout the music video to Hannah Montana (Miley Cyrus) music video "Best of Both Worlds". His theory, as previously mentioned is the set of meanings which are constructed in order for the artist to build a large and loyal audience. The first paradox is that the star must be both ordinary and extraordinary. The star can be seen as extraordinary due to the fact she has an alter ego which is a young, teenage sensation which on a daily basis is a regular teenage who attends school and socializes with friends. The star is also shown as extraordinary through the use of costuming. She is seen to be wearing  glamorous clothing such as a gold leather jacket and a top with sequins which is not something she would typically wear everyday. Reiterating the luxurious lifestyle she leads, which is different to her fans which are 'ordinary'. Miley Cyrus can be seen as a 'product' this is because her music is mainly focused towards young teenagers, mainly girls as she is most relatable to this specific audience by being young and wanting to achieve their goals in life, this makes her an icon. The young audience can purchase merchandise from the artist, which ultimately leads to an increase in sales and profit for the label. Furthermore, the star is represented as ordinary, as the audience presumably know and understand the narrative that the teenage sensation is an ordinary girl by day, and a pop star by night. This makes her relatable to the audience, in which they idolize her as they believe they can too achieve their dream. 

Miley Cyrus or in this music video, Hannah Montana targets her music video to an audience which varies in ages from 7-15. The target audience are stereo typically female due to the narrative of the show and they may be able to relate to an ordinary girl, as the artist is just like the audience when she is 'Miley'. Younger girls may idolize and are engaged by the artist as she seems to have the dream lifestyle, being an ordinary girl then turning to a pop star. They see the artist owning luxurious items and clothing and may want to be like this. 

The message and values which are promoted through the music video "Best of Both Worlds" is to always be happy and positive. She suggests to the audience that confidence and believing in yourself can lead you to your dreams and where you would like to be. Empowering the audience to aspire to achieve their goals. Which is important to a younger audience as they need encouragement from people they idolize to be the best they can be. The artist does not include any negative messages or values into her music videos. This is mainly due to the age of her target audience which is a younger audience, therefore not wanting to include any negative aspects into her music video due to her audience may be sensitive. 

The genre of this music video "Best of Both Worlds" is Pop. This music video is conventional to the Pop genre due to the upbeat and energetic beat and lyrics which engages the target audience as this is catchy. The music video also includes a conventional choreographed dance which is stereotypical as this engages the target audience and reinforces the artists personality, in which they like to enjoy themselves. The choreography is something which is memorable for the audience which they can copy, to try and relate to the artist. The costume of the artist in the music video is conventional as it helps to show the luxurious and bold lifestyle she leads, standing out from the rest in which her target audience are drawn to and aspire to be as brave and bold as the artist. 

Miley Cyrus - The Climb

Miley Cyrus then transitioned onto a different stage of her career. She changed from being a young, innocent teenager into a pop star which was maturing and trying to take a different direction in life, by leaving her well known Disney Channel character "Hannah Montana" behind. The music video contrasts dramatically from something that Miley would have previously created when known as Hannah Montana. The video seems quite simplistic which shows a dramatic change from "The Best of Both Worlds" which incorporated choreographed dances, bright and textured clothing and lyrics suggesting her chaotic life.

Goodwin's theory is evident within this music video. An example of this could be the relationship between the lyrics and the visuals. The repeated lyrics throughout the music video "It's the climb" build a relationship with the videos as the green screen shows a pathway behind Miley as she is singing. This could have a hidden meaning to the song, suggesting Miley is on a journey discovering herself as an artist and growing up. "The Climb" could also suggest the difficulty in which is will be to reinvent herself as an artist and the struggles she would possibly face, which could be suggested through the line "Always gonna be another mountain" In addition to this, the lyrics could signify her change in music and forebode the artists change in future years. Goodwin's theory is additionally present throughout the music video through the reference to the notion of looking, as there are several shots of Miley looking towards the camera. This builds a relationship with the audience as they can see her emotion and body language as she sings. Gaining more respect for the artist, from the audience as they can see she is willing to show her true and natural emotion for the benefit of the audience, and suggest to them that even she, who is in a comfortable finical situation also has struggles and every day life may not come easy. 

Dyer's theory is also present in the music video. As the artist is simultaneously ordinary and extraordinary.  The location throughout the music video helps to portray the artist as ordinary, as this shows her lifestyle before fame and hobbies which she enjoys. This shows the artist on her horse and in what seems to be the country side, showing her down to earth personality which the audience admire and how she has matured as an artist mellowing from a teenage pop sensation. The artist is however seen to be extraordinary. This could be due to the special effects and green screens of different scenery used throughout the video which remind the audience that she is famous and has the capability to produce music and music videos, along with a glamorous lifestyle after she has produced the video. 

"The Climb" is classified in the genre country pop. Mileys music video is conventional to the genre as it still has aspects of a pop video, however less noticeable. There is still use of bright/strobe lighting. However, it is not conventional to a pop video as there is no performance from the artist it is mainly her standing and singing towards the camera. However, the majority of the music video does not follow conventional pop aspects. The video changes between clips from The Hannah Montana Movie of Hannah revealing her secret that she is leading a double life. This gives the video a narrative which is not conventional style music video. Pop video's are mainly performance based as this matches the style of the upbeat song which the artist can perform a choreographed dance to and keep the audience engaged. Another unconventional aspect of the music video is the emotional state the artist is in whilst performing. Usually, a pop artist seems to be happy and energetic ensuring their audience is also having a good time as their positiveness is reflective. However, the music video shows the artist singing with a sad emotion and seems to be slightly depressed. Which could be inferred to be because of personal issues she is coping with. 

Messages and values are presented throughout the music video to "The Climb" I think that the artist is trying to suggest to the audience that just because she is famous doesn't mean that everything comes easily to her. She to, much like the audience has personal issues and battles just like everybody else which may be hard to cope with. This is captivating for the audience as it reiterates to them that they should not judge anybody, and always be kind as they never know what somebody is struggling with. Furthermore, the music video suggests a positive message as the artist encourages the audience to keep going with their battle and keep fighting. They will 'find light' and overcome this obstacle, all of which refers back to the theme and title of the song "The Climb" in which relates to overcoming certain events or struggles. This has changed alot from the messages and values expressed in the music video "Best of Both Worlds" as the contrast from positivity and negativity can't go unnoticed. The video's go from displaying happiness and following your dreams, to negativity and how dreams are hard to follow and struggles may occur along the way, but with determination they can be resolved.

For this particular music video I believe that target audience may be aged between 15-24 year olds, possibly older. This is because the artist has now produced a music and music video which shows clear maturity from previous video's such as "Best of Both Worlds". The target audience are able to relate to the artist in which this allows a relationship to build. The video contains sensitive subjects and gives inspiration for those who may be going through a similar situation, in which a younger audience which the artist would have previously tried to target her music video towards, may not be able to relate. 

Wrecking Ball - Miley Cyrus
                                 

The third music video which I will be analyzing from the artist is Miley Cyrus, in the third and current stage of music development she is currently in. When comparing the first music video I analysed "Best of Both Worlds" the change and evolution of the music artist is evidently clear. The reinvention could be due to the fact she felt as though she wasn't really known any more and had lost interest in her music due to not releasing new material in a long time. She may have wanted to break away from the fixed image of a young teenage sensation and felt she needed to make extravagant videos and pull stunts to become noticed again by a wider and varied target audience. In which this video definitely helped. As in the first 24 hours of the video being uploaded it has 19.3 million views and is still increasing today. 

Goodwin's theory is evident throughout the music video "Wrecking Ball" as there is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals. This can be seen at the point when Miley sings about "breaking walls" it can be seen in the video that the wall is broken due to the wrecking ball. This may in turn engage the target audience as they begin to connotate the broken walls and hidden meaning behind the lyrics.  The wall could signify how the artist feels, completely broken. This may be due to heartbreak or another personal issue. This allows the audience to sympathize for the artist and relate to her as they may feel in a similar situation, they have broken down and see no way of being free of this feeling. The audience may gain more respect for the artist as she is willing to show her feelings in order to benefit the audience, and ensure them that they are not alone in any situation they may be currently in.

A second aspect of Goodwin's theory which is evident throughout the music video "Wrecking Ball" by Miley Cyrus, is the demands from the record label in which close ups need to be included of the artist. It is evident that this is included in the video due to the various amount of close ups incorporated. The close ups used help to portray the emotional and depressive state of the artist and how low she is currently feeling. Which is reiterated by the close up of a tear rolling down the artists cheek, possibly due to the personal situation she was in. The audience gain respect for the artist as she is willing to show her pain and emotion to the audience, so they do not feel alone if they are going through a similar situation. Additionally, this allows the relationship between the audience and artist to build as they sympathize for the artist on the grounds in which they can commonly share, also feeling as though they are beginning to know her more personally and give her support in watching her music video's to show that they are listening and are there for her.

The music video is not overly conventional to the pop genre. This is due to the fact the artist is aiming to reinvent herself and engage a wider and varied target audience to gain and become successful again; through creating a diverse video. This can firstly be seen through the tempo of the video, as this is not upbeat like a conventional music video would be as the lyrics contain serious topics and emotion. Furthermore, the costume in which the artist is featured in the music video shows her with little clothing on and all in white. Whereas a stereotypical pop music video would feature their artist is bold and brightly coloured costume to show their fame and luxurious lifestyle. Whereas the white which the artist is featured in suggest innocence and vulnerability due to her fragile state. This is unconventional as the costuming usually helps to represent and further portray the good time and lively atmosphere the artist is in. 

Dyers Theory is evident also throughout the music video. The artist can be seen as ordinary, as she is still encountering issues which everyone may go through, such as heartbreak, suggesting to the audience she is just like them. This helps to build a relationship between both the audience and artist as they can relate to each other, and the video gives off a more personal approach as this feels as though the artist is singing the lyrics for everybody who has been put though a similar situation. However, the artist is again seen as extraordinary. This is through the fact she is making an obscene and diverse music video, which not everybody has the chance to create. She goes against usual conventions based on her outrageous and is not your stereotypical artist as she stands out. 

Messages and values are presented throughout the music video are motivational and inspiring for the audience. The artist aims to promote the fact that there will be many obstacles throughout your adult years and the destruction caused may be unbearable to cope with. However, that the audience needs to pick themselves up again, and continue trying not it affect you too much. This is in relation to the break up of the artists relationship in which the message she is trying to come across to the audience is her 'side' of the story, and to let all her anger and emotion out in which she can share with fans who are willing and wanting to listen. 

The target audience for the music video "Wrecking Ball" ranges from ages 16-22 year olds. The age range has lowered from previously analysed "The Climb" as audience members who are slightly older may find the video obscene and unnecessary and would not want to watch the video as the artist is seen with very little clothing and dramatic actions, whereas she could have created a much more emotional and captivating message if she had performed her song on stage, with no distractions so the audience could focus on the lyrics. However, the audience of this age range may watch the music video as they can relate to subjects and topics which the artist is singing, and may find comfort in the fact somebody else is going through a similar situation.   

I     In conclusion, I have identified that many artists have reinvented their image. This could be due to several reasons which are common in each artist. For example the artist may have wanted to break-away from their previous image or the genre of music they used to sing before and want to take a different direction in their musical career. Secondly to this, each artist has reinvented themselves when they have matured. This could mean they may not have reinvented their image but their music may have changed as they have due to their age, somebody older such as Miley Cyrus will not want to be singing the same music as she did when she was younger. 

      This research will help my group on deciding which artist to pick because we will get a further understanding of how and why the artist represents themselves, and see how they have changed over time which will influence my choice, to see whether or not they would reach a specific target audience. It is important to identify a main target audience because this helps when creating the music video. You can aim specific elements of the video towards your target audience as you know that this is something they would then enjoy. For example, a soul song, the audience may like this genre due to the meaning behind the lyrics, therefore we would use many close up's and use of Goodwin's theory the frequent notion of looking to show the audience the emotion behind what the artist is singing, making it more relatable. This will also help me to decide upon an artist as I can choose what messages and values I would like to portray to my target audience, and can show throughout my music video. From this I can then identify a target audience which I will aim my music video towards, as this is important to establish as this is more likely to increase sales and profit due to creating a video which is conventional and engages the audience.