How do music artist explore their star persona in music videos?(essay)

November 21, 2017

How do music artist explore their star persona in music videos?

This essay will discuss how Katy Perry’s star persona has been represented in Roar and Swish swish, it will include uses of camera shots and connotations of the narrative, which will also link to star persona.

Firstly, the music video for Roar represents her star persona as feminine, for example, the use of stereotypes that shows she’s scared of spiders links her with a feminine persona as it is a well know stereotype, therefore people can easily associate her with it. The video uses themes of nature to link to the narrative of the song; this aspect tends to be shown through mid-shots in order for it to allow us to see the settings as well as the artist as both of them are important in this video. In one scene of the video Katy Perry is shown throwing away her high heel shoe, this symbolizes her throwing her femininity away and become part of the natural habitat shown in the setting, this links to her star persona as it implies that she rejects stereotypes of women and that she is a powerful female character. Katy Perry has been represented as a sex object due to her revealing clothing; in some ways this links to the theme and narrative of the song, as her having less clothing is more natural to the environment that she is in. Although she is not overly objectified because she is represented as powerful and dominate. The close-ups in the video reveal that her make-up is very natural, yet again this is a clear link to the theme of the video and it connotes that she is confident.

Secondly, the music video for Swish swish shows that Katy Perry has changed her star persona, in this music video she is represented as unique and quirky. We understand that the video is set on a basketball court due to the use of mid shots, this is done so we can also see the artist to promote her as well as understand the narrative of the video. Within the video a high angled shot is used to contrast Katy Perry with the court because she looks tiny compared to it, at this point the narrative shows her following stereotypes of women and how they are bad at sports. This is then followed by a close up of her face which shows a dramatic make up look to highlight that she is following stereotypical notions of femininity Katy Perry is show with little clothing however because her appearance is less feminine due to her having short hair and being shown wearing a basketball kit, challenges the idea that she is being represented as a sexually objectified women. Additionally the video sidetracks from the narrative to add a sense of a humour, this links to her new star persona as she wants to be seen as someone who doesn’t take them self too seriously. The video uses binary opposites is something that opposes one another in a text in this case feminine and non-feminine is used to oppose one an another, this is shown when Nicki Minaj features in the video, she is shown as a feminine person who is sexually objectified this opposes what Katy Perry representation as she is presented as a non-feminine female. Nevertheless, towards the end she rejects these stereotypes and shows she is good at playing sports

Both of Katy Perry’s video tend to have the motif of rejecting stereotypes of women as roar rejects the stereotypes of women being weak while Swish swish rejecting stereotypes of women not being active and being bad at sports. In addition, this links to her star persona she it shows that she rebels against stereotypical female notions.

To summarize, Katy Perry’s star persona has changed in terms of identity but her beliefs that are portrayed throughout the music videos are still the same, for example rejecting stereotypes.