Analyse how the
Million Reasons music video by Lady Gaga uses stereotypes to represent a
variety of images of feminine identity.
Apply comparative stereotypes and theory in the development
of your arguments
Million Reasons is a contrasting example of a contemporary music video from a world
famous, white, female artist. This particular video, from the album Joanne, marks a change
in direction for the artist as media producers make use of media language to construct
representations that might attract a broader, more mainstream market whilst not alienating
the artist’s core fan base. The video is actually a continuation from the music video to
"Perfect Illusion", which is also a song in her album Joanne, it portrays Gaga being handled
roughly in her early career, forced to tour through her hip pain (described by the dancing in
"Perfect Illusion"), and finally in the "Million Reasons" clip, her team helps her in healing
attaching imagery of everyday backstage tour preparation to a song of loneliness and
isolation, life on the road forever breaking its practitioners. The whole music video is
jumbled up, showing how her emotions are all over the place.
The music video opens with a high shot of Lady Gaga rolling in the desert, which is brightly
lit with saturated tones, it gives a happy and relaxing feeling, however this contrasts Gaga's
body language as she places her head in her hands, showing stress, suggesting how
she's worn out. The lyrics "i would run for the hills" show how if she had the chance she
would run away, this could have two meanings. She could be referring to escaping the
oppression of the music industry and the pressure she's put under, or her relationship, as
the song was written after her and her boyfriend of 5 years had just broken up, showing a
stronger emotional connection to the song. The next scene is much darker and dimly lit,
showing a mid shot of Gaga in a car, her body language is once again very negative as
she's sat shaking her head and she now has dark sunglasses and a hat on, this could be a
way of covering up her tiredness and real emotions, counter-stereotyping the idea of women
being weak as this shows her going into work although she's clearly having personal
problems. This links to bell hook's theory as Gaga is a feminist and shows how it's a political
commitment rather than a lifestyle choice as she still has to deal with oppression in the
workforce, even though she's famous and is of a higher class and she's going through
emotional and physical pain. This shows how people from different classes can be
oppressed in different ways. Gaga is also an activist who chooses to address these issues
in the media through her music and this is something bell hook would classify as a real act
of feminism. In the car Gaga also covers up her black top with a pink robe, showing how the
music industry forces her to adapt to the typical stereotype of "girls wear pink" as it's seen
as feminism colour. The next scene is a wide shot of Gaga walking into her backstage
dressing room, where she appears to be much happier, showing how she feels as though
she needs to put up a facade instead of sharing her actual emotions. She's followed by
people carrying her clothes, the camera then pans around the scene showing her dressing
room full of sparkly and colourful clothes, which completely contrasts what she was
originally wearing, once again showing how she feels as though she needs to keep up with
the typical stereotype of women looking and dressing a certain way to be accepted by
society. This links to Liesbet van Zoonen's theory as she's having to dress a certain way
which shows how women’s bodies are seen as objects to be looked at, which is a core
element of western patriarchal culture.
The next scene is a mid shot of Gaga sitting in front of a mirror, as soon as she sits down
and looks into the mirror the image turns black and white, this makes the image very dull
looking, stripping it from all the happiness and positive emotions, however it does then
reflect Gaga's feelings at the time, it shows sadness and pain. This reflects the stereotype
that women are very emotional. Gaga is sitting in a robe and no makeup on, this shows a
stripped down version of her that fans don't get to see as much, showing her vulnerability,
giving a stronger emotional connection to the song. She is then shown getting her hair and
makeup done, which clearly causes her discomfort as she looks extremely sad and
uninterested, this once again shows the pressures women face to look a specific way as
stereotypically society only accepts a specific look from women. The next clip is a close up,
which is now in colour, it shows Gaga with very heavy makeup and a pink hat. Her heavy
makeup makes a clear statement about how people expect women to look and the pink hat
shows how everyone sees pink as a feminine colour, this is then contrasted in the next see
as the camera zooms out showing a full body shot of Gaga in a pink suit and a pink cowboy
hat, this then defeats gender stereotypes as suits are typically meant for men and by
wearing a pink one she shows how women can wear suits and men can wear pink, showing
how a colour shouldn't define gender. The cowboy hat usually reflected strong men back in
the Western days and by wearing it Gaga shows how women can also be strong and
powerful. Throughout the clips of Gaga playing the guitar she is constantly covers the face
with her guitar and hat, this shows how she finally wants the industry and society to focus on
her music and art rather than how she looks, its almost like she's embarrassed of what she's
been forced to look like.
The video then flips back to her in the desert showing her team and friends running towards
her, picking her up, this counter stereotypes the idea that women need and rely on men for
everything as this shows how her friends helped and picked her up when she no longer had
strength to go on. She shows that women can be strong and independent.
the song was written after her and her boyfriend of 5 years had just broken up, showing a
stronger emotional connection to the song. The next scene is much darker and dimly lit,
showing a mid shot of Gaga in a car, her body language is once again very negative as
she's sat shaking her head and she now has dark sunglasses and a hat on, this could be a
way of covering up her tiredness and real emotions, counter-stereotyping the idea of women
being weak as this shows her going into work although she's clearly having personal
problems. This links to bell hook's theory as Gaga is a feminist and shows how it's a political
commitment rather than a lifestyle choice as she still has to deal with oppression in the
workforce, even though she's famous and is of a higher class and she's going through
emotional and physical pain. This shows how people from different classes can be
oppressed in different ways. Gaga is also an activist who chooses to address these issues
in the media through her music and this is something bell hook would classify as a real act
of feminism. In the car Gaga also covers up her black top with a pink robe, showing how the
music industry forces her to adapt to the typical stereotype of "girls wear pink" as it's seen
as feminism colour. The next scene is a wide shot of Gaga walking into her backstage
dressing room, where she appears to be much happier, showing how she feels as though
she needs to put up a facade instead of sharing her actual emotions. She's followed by
people carrying her clothes, the camera then pans around the scene showing her dressing
room full of sparkly and colourful clothes, which completely contrasts what she was
originally wearing, once again showing how she feels as though she needs to keep up with
the typical stereotype of women looking and dressing a certain way to be accepted by
society. This links to Liesbet van Zoonen's theory as she's having to dress a certain way
which shows how women’s bodies are seen as objects to be looked at, which is a core
element of western patriarchal culture.
The next scene is a mid shot of Gaga sitting in front of a mirror, as soon as she sits down
and looks into the mirror the image turns black and white, this makes the image very dull
looking, stripping it from all the happiness and positive emotions, however it does then
reflect Gaga's feelings at the time, it shows sadness and pain. This reflects the stereotype
that women are very emotional. Gaga is sitting in a robe and no makeup on, this shows a
stripped down version of her that fans don't get to see as much, showing her vulnerability,
giving a stronger emotional connection to the song. She is then shown getting her hair and
makeup done, which clearly causes her discomfort as she looks extremely sad and
uninterested, this once again shows the pressures women face to look a specific way as
stereotypically society only accepts a specific look from women. The next clip is a close up,
which is now in colour, it shows Gaga with very heavy makeup and a pink hat. Her heavy
makeup makes a clear statement about how people expect women to look and the pink hat
shows how everyone sees pink as a feminine colour, this is then contrasted in the next see
as the camera zooms out showing a full body shot of Gaga in a pink suit and a pink cowboy
hat, this then defeats gender stereotypes as suits are typically meant for men and by
wearing a pink one she shows how women can wear suits and men can wear pink, showing
how a colour shouldn't define gender. The cowboy hat usually reflected strong men back in
the Western days and by wearing it Gaga shows how women can also be strong and
powerful. Throughout the clips of Gaga playing the guitar she is constantly covers the face
with her guitar and hat, this shows how she finally wants the industry and society to focus on
her music and art rather than how she looks, its almost like she's embarrassed of what she's
been forced to look like.
The video then flips back to her in the desert showing her team and friends running towards
her, picking her up, this counter stereotypes the idea that women need and rely on men for
everything as this shows how her friends helped and picked her up when she no longer had
strength to go on. She shows that women can be strong and independent.
No comments:
Post a Comment