Bethany Edwards A2 Media Portfolio

Richard Dyer stated “A star is an image, not a real person that is constructed (as any other aspect of fiction is) out of a range of materials…stars are commodities produced and consumed on the strength of their meaning”. Richard Dyer’s ‘star image’ theory suggests that stars (musical artists) aren’t real, they are fictional recreations, and have the desirable characteristics of what the record label wants them to be.

 

Audiences are a vital aspect of a star’s image, as they give them an identity, and it is often their fans that affect how they appear to the world. Stars are made for financial gain. Increasing the brand identity benefits the institution, as they become a household name, increasing sales in all of the different aspects of media and the artist promotion. The institution then models the artist around the target audience they choose. For example, Lady Gaga’s fashion was seen to be chosen so that the audience can relate to her as a person and also her music, showing that her choice of fashion is representative of her fans, and the audience she appeals to. Hegemony is the idea that the audience relates to the star because they have a feature they share or admire with them, this could range from a similar upbringing, to appearances, because of this, some fans may attempt to replicate the star in their behaviour, and what they do, say, and think. The admiration audiences have for a star may impact their lives greatly; they may act in a similar way, for example, if a star donated to charity, or even set up their own charity, audiences may feel compelled to do the same, this is beneficial, and would be a positive outcome from copying them, however strong admiration for a star could also have negative consequences, as some stars often are drinkers, or drug abusers. For example, in the 60’s and 70’s there was an increase in cannabis sales due to The Beatles being open about using it.

 

An example of an artist who has clearly been moulded, and created is Taylor Swift; in many ways, Taylor Swift does appear to break boundaries from the sweet, family-friendly image which has been created by the record label, with more recent songs such as ‘Bad Blood’, where she openly attacks Katy Perry. However, the image created is that of a wholesome, fan-friendly star, which coincides with the clothes she wears, the music she makes, and he videos she stars in. The ‘Taylor Swift’ image is shown in all aspect of her life, and would otherwise damage the reputation she holds, this would also disengage audiences to ‘buy into’ the persona that has been created if they saw different aspects, keeping up appearances is imperative to star image. Taylor Swift’s image often coincides with her upbeat music, and relatively ‘preppy’ persona which has been developed over the years. Taylor’s music style has developed throughout the years, however she produces songs personal to her, which are usually based around a life experience she has had, or a failed relationship she has endured.

Miley Cyrus is also a prime example of how a star's image can be changed, proving that it is as easy as a change on clothes and a haircut.

Photos depicting this can be seen below.