By: Serina Gousby
Lately this year, musicians, especially pop female artists tend to be very obscene and shocking in their famous image. Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, and many others are either described to be crazy, sexual, and weird, yet they are three of the most talked about musicians in the United States. Although many of these artists claim that their stage presence is who they really are, it could possibly be just a tactic for record sales, concert sales, and attention. There are many successful pop artists like Selena Gomez and Katy Perry who choose not to show off every part of their body in promiscuous ways, yet the ones who do seem to have a more universal audience; for instance, Miley Cyrus.
The former Hannah Montana star made headlines last Sunday, Nov. 10 at the MTV European Music Awards (EMAs) by her shocking performance and controversial outfits. According to the Huffington Post, Miley arrived at the show wearing a backless mini dress with images of deceased rap artists Tupac and Notorious B.I.G. and text under the images stated “Please Stop” on the back of the dress and “Violence” on the front. In addition, during her alien-themed performance of her hit single, “We Can’t Stop,” she invited one of her little person dancers dressed as an alien figure in an all-black suit on stage, they “twerked” together, as well as grabbed each other’s breasts and butts. Lastly, while accepting her award for Best Music Video on her No. 1 single, “Wrecking Ball,” wearing a white leotard and furry shrug, she took a joint of marijuana out of her Chanel clutch and smoked it during her acceptance speech.
According to US Magazine, MTV had edited out the marijuana piece of her speech for the U.S. viewing of the show.
This entire year, Cyrus has been the talk of the town from the minute she decided to cut her hair short, to making hip-hop “ratchet” themed music to gravitate black audiences. Despite the negative criticism towards her new image, Miley’s fourth studio album, Bangerz, debuted No. 1 on Billboard charts. Miley herself has even revealed why she imitates such raw and classless behavior in her MTV documentary, Miley: The Movement, stating, “You’re always going to make people talk, you might as well make them talk for two weeks, rather than two seconds.”
One thing that many people fail to understand about the pop music business is that it is always about grabbing attention, making money, and being the person that everyone in the world should talk about. Many claimed that Miley was channeling Rihanna’s bad girl image as soon as the “We Can’t Stop” music video released. Weeks later, Rihanna released her music video to her hit single, “Pour It Up,” which features many women dancing promiscuously on a pole, as well as Rihanna dancing and dressed in a sexual manner. However, it is not just women who enhance their sweet and normal image, look at Chris Brown and Justin Bieber. As long as we continue to buy their albums and go to their concerts, pop artists will remain acting strange and sexual just to keep their names in our mouths.
