INDIE MUSIC: GENDER ROLES NOT SO "UNDEGROUND"
It seems as though women in this genre of music still feel the need to cling to their sexuality and sexual image in order to maintain their status in the music industry. As underground as they may be, their imagery is still highly charged with sexual imagery, perhaps in an attempt to pull them from the indie music scene to the mainstream music scene. Rather than focusing solely on the vocal / musical talents these women still feel media pressure to become both music stars and fashion/physically beautiful stars. In doing so, their videos are composed of the same sexual energy that fills much of the space in pop music and its shortcomings.
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VIDEO EXAMPLES:
LANA DEL REY - "BLUE VELVET"
Although quickly gaining mainstream success, singer Lana Del Rey still makes videos that reinforce classic gender roles. This particular video is an ad for clothing store H&M, yet it still echoes Lana Del Rey's music videos. The video shows a Lana Del Rey singing in a vintage setting, dressed in modern clothing like skinny jeans. At first, her image is striking as she appears to only be wearing a sweater that doesn't cover her lower half. She is spectacle here, an object to be admired - which is being done by one man in her audience. She is also portrayed in front of a mirror powdering her face as her solemn, naval male counterpart waits for her. There is also a flash of three women who are dressed in similar fashion to Lana.
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JEM - "THEY"
In Jem's video for "They" singer Jem appears in a space shuttle floating around while singing. This immediately keeps her image light, soft, and weightless. As the video progresses, Jem begins pulling apart her space suit (an act that would actually kill her in outerspace?) and she strips down to her underwear. The camera pans about her body. Continuing on, she completely removes her clothing and the camera pans out to show her nude body barely covered by rings of light. In the end the imagery of Jem is flashed away and we are to assume that is is all a dream -- of an adolescent boy.
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