MUSIC FOR THE EYES OR THE EARS?
The music is important. The image is too. They do infact, go hand in hand.
However, when an artists’ image is seen as more important than the music, you have stop and wonder whether they would be best suited to the music industry or the fashion industry.
Remember the days when people were mostly concerned with the artists’ music rather than their red carpet outfits? Just about huh?
One could argue that the artists’ of today are only moving with the times and adjusting to an industry which is so focused on your outward appearance. TOO focused.
One could also argue that this isn’t the case and the image is another form of expression, just like the music.
Well I say, by choosing what kind of image you want to portray to your audience can create a cohesive theme within your music. As I said...the image and the music go hand in hand. It can also influence the decisions of your fans. I say...be careful how you represent yourselves to them, especially the young girls. *Ahem*...Rihanna.
Whilst I do understand that with so much competition in the music industry, an extravagant appearance (Lady Gaga spring to mind?) or controversial behaviour (Miley Cyrus spring to mind?) is one way of acknowledgement by the masses but so is a great voice.
Let’s look at Adele. She doesn’t fit the stereotype, but she does have an image, however, it isn’t put before the music.
Her second album, 21, became the first ever album to sell three million digital copies.
No nakedness, no meat dresses, no gimmicks. Kudos Adele. Kudos.
Let’s look at Susan Boyle. She definitely doesn’t fit the stereotype. Despite initially being ridiculed, she has maintained true to herself and hasn’t allowed anyone to tamper with her image and she is successful nevertheless.
This proves not everyone needs to create a brand and conform to certain things in order to ‘make it’. Hopefully the business people behind Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Miley, etc will see this and rethink what they should be doing. Sometime soon too.
