How are musicians styled to represent different genres of music?

By looking at a performer or musician, most of the time we can probably tell what type of genre of music they are representing. Celebrities are generally, however, are at the hands of a stylist that presents them in a way that will be connoting the music/style/personality that they want to be portrayed as having, or their label/manager does. In the music industry, a lot of the time the main focus is image, and not the music, which is sad in my opinion, but it makes it easy. Fame is all about representation, as all of the fans a celebrity may gain, as much as they think they know the famous person, they don’t actually know them, and like them because of the way they have presented themselves, and been represented in the media.Ho

The music industry is very much focused around colour. A prime example of this is Katy Perry, an American pop star, known for her catchy chart toppers. Her image from the start has been focused around candy, clouds and bright colours. Her image has represented her as a fun person, the link with candy connotes her as sweet, and her music videos follow the same pattern of happy colours, light hearted songs and smiles (often literally on her clothes). The pop of colour that follows her represents the pop that is in her music, and we as an audience associate the cartoon, candy land backgrounds with fast paced, poppy, light hearted music. The way in which she is styled also ensures the continuing changing colour of her hair, all colours of the rainbow, from bright blue to baby pink to black. The stylists have done this to keep a focus on her, keep her in the fashion columns and style magazines, to continue an attention on her and media coverage that will gain her attention and therefore sales. However, aside from the commercial benefits, the bright colours of her hair connote her ‘freewheeling’ attitude to life, and the fact that she is a performer, linked with all the costumes, connoting she will put on a good show with costumes ect (as her day to day wear practically is one), adding to concert sales. This is a theme that runs through to fellow pop star Lady Gaga, who grabs media attention by wearing bizarre outfits. The biggest scandal was a meat dress worn to a very formal event.
Lady Gaga is a performer very much based on representation. Just from her name, she is being represented as somebody different, to watch out for. ‘Lady Gaga’ connotes the craziness that is followed through with her styling, and also her slightly alternative, although still catchy pop songs. Her individual styling brought her many fans through her lack of conformity, and still represents her as a pop based performer (through the broad use of colours and props much like Katy Perry), who will put on a very good live show.

Styling is used to represent all kinds of genre, so that audiences can quickly be notified on what sort of music they will be listening to. Another example of very clear representations are rock or punk bands. Green Day is an example of this, as they conform to the stereotype of a punk pop band, implying the type of heavier, more emotive and serious music through the simplicity of their clothing and the dark colour of it. The direct address of branding used for punk pop or ‘emo’ bands such as green day is with out a smile, in contrast to the pop genre which is usually accompanied with a smile. The lack of this in this representation is used to show the audience that they are not the usual ‘top of the pops’ band, and want to be taken seriously and talk about real issues, which they do, in their music. The styling, lack of colour and simplicity of just jeans, a stripy top and jacket, connote the band as being more focused on music than image, and aren’t hiding behind any false image. The styling represents their passion for real music and issues, and the slightly more heavy music that is now associated with dark colours in music. These stereotypes of rock/punk music are reinforced by bands such as My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy, also often styled in black with simple clothes, accompanied by a guitar to support the fact they are passionate about the real music that they are making.

Indie or alternative bands are also well represented as a genre, contradicting the fact that all are aspiring to be so individual. All conform to similar styles, photographed with a vintage effect camera, making them appear more worn, having been placed in looser, although more casual looking clothing if female (Florence and the Machine, Haim), or vintage style clothes and hair, often modelled on older bands (Arctic Monkeys, The Kooks).  Although probably not completely original styling, the image of vintage, less bright colours and less ‘eager to please faces’, as seen regularly in the pop industry, these representations still set these bands apart as a different music genre of ‘indie’ or ‘alternative’. The lack of focus around image suggests the fact that they are again, more interested in the music they are creating, and less about the money and publicity they are getting in the media for scandalous wardrobe choices or who got in a twitter fight with who.

Overall, the music industry is often found to be more concerned with image and publicity rather than the music actually being produced, however it is clear why. The representation of music artists is what a lot of people will base their musical opinions of the band on, finalise their choices on whether to buy that album or not, or listen to that new singer because their friend said they were ‘hot’.  The connotations given of a band on an album, music video, even just a picture in a magazine will automatically place them under a genre in peoples heads, so in a sense it is almost crucial for artists to conform to the guidelines set in place for their music type. However, in the music industry, people strive to be new, and individual and the most respected tend to be the ones less concerned with image and more concerned with the actual music.