Research and analysis of a star: Dyer's Theory

RICHARD DYER'S STAR THEORY

'Stars' are constantly changing their sound and image over time to please their target audience. According to Dyer, the term 'star' refers to a mthological set of meanings that are used to construct and sell a performer to an audience. The common values of a star include:

• Youthfulness
• Rebellion
• Sexual magnetism
• Originality
• Creative/talent
• Aggression
• Success against the odds
• Disregard for social values such as drugs and sex
• Conspicuous consumption of sex, drugs and material goods 

Dyer's theory is based upon two paradoxes, which supports his belief that stars are 'incomplete'. Firstly, that stars must be simultaneously ordinary and extraordinary - an ordinary person with and extraordinary talent, causing the person to become extraordinary. Secondly, that the star must be simultaneously absent and present. Absent in the press as the artist takes a break in order to produce more music, and present through the release and promotion of the artist's album/single and through performing.

Miley Cyrus 2007

Miley Cyrus 2012

Artists are constantly updating their image and music in order to set trends and please their ageing audience/attract different audiences to widen their fan base. The artist who I have chosen to focus on, who is constantly and drastically changing her image is Miley Cyrus. Miley Cyrus found her fame playing the lead in the Disney Channel serious 'Hannah Montana'. After playing a singing sensation in 'Hannah Montana', she soon started up her singing career and became a role model for young female teenagers and a teen pop princess. Being such a young age herself, her music videos were aimed at a much younger audience. However, over the years, Cyrus has been proven to constantly change her image in order to please older audiences, attract a wider fan base, and to break away from the 'Disney Channel' image. Here is one of the first music videos that she released to launch her music career:

MILEY CYRUS - 'START ALL OVER'

In 2007, Miley Cyrus originally promoted a rock sound in her music and followed rock/pop conventions within her music videos. 'Start all Over' follows an alternative rock genre with its strong drum beat and electric guitar riffs. She displays a stereotypical rock image, wearing black clothing and red skinny jeans. The music video connotes how crazy Miley's life has become by displaying many 'random' events within the narrative. The music video starts with Miley going to bed, representing the end of a day and the 'starting all over' of a new one. One of Goodwin's paradox's (relationship between the visuals and the lyrics) is used within this music video. During the second chorus as Miley sings "out of the fire and into the fire again" a video clip is presented of Miley dancing with an enormous fire in the background. The use of fire also helps portray her rock image as it is stereotypically conventional to a heavy metal or rock genre. Simultaneously, Miley is presented as a light-hearted pop performer through the use of dancing. Along with other dancers, Miley is shown performing a dance routine, displaying to her audiences that she is fun and is talented within dance as well as singing. This would relate to younger audiences, particularly female, as they would look up to Cyrus and her talent/likability and aspire to be like her.

Towards the end of the music video a performance section is displayed of Miley performing with a rock band. This follows another Goodwin paradox - the relationship between the visuals and the music. The instruments that are shown being played are also heard in the song. The instruments also present Miley as a rock artist. Within this music video, Miley follows Dyer's Theory and presents some of the common values of a star, such as youthfulness, originality and creativity/talent. She also displays Dyer's paradox that an artist must be simultaneously ordinary and extraordinary as she is presented as a very natural and ordinary teenage girl within the music video, however has extraordinary talents and is experiencing extraordinary situations.

MILEY CYRUS - "CAN'T BE TAMED"

'Can't be Tamed' was the music video that demonstrated a drastic change in Miley Cyrus's image and sound. Unlike the previous music video, 'Can't be Tamed' presents darker colours and low-key lighting. Many of Goodwin's beliefs are displayed within this music video also, such as showing a relationship between the visuals and the lyrics and music, voyeurism, and following a performance-based structure. The visuals/narrative throughout the music video clearly display the message of the song 'Can't be Tamed'. Iconography such as a giant birdcage is used to contain Miley, however when she breaks out and dances through the corridors, it is evident that she 'can't be tamed' and is presented as rebellious, dominant and independent. Voyeuristic treatments are used to present Miley in a revealing black leather leotard which proves Dyer's theory that she has certainly altered her image. Cyrus's fashion within this music video becomes a lot more provocative in order to attract older audiences, particularly male. The artist is represented as an admirable model for young women as well as a sex symbol for men.

Dyer's theory is evident within this music video as Miley Cyrus shows more common values of a star. She presents a strong mixture of youthfulness, rebellion, sexual magnetism, originality, creativity/talent and aggression. However, she is displayed wearing giant, black, feathered wings, portraying a bird-like creature and is therefore presented as much more of an extraordinary artist than she was previously through her clothing, originality and body language.

MILEY CYRUS - 'WE CAN'T STOP'

'We Can't Stop' is one of Miley Cyrus's latest music videos promoting her latest change in music and image. Unlike Miley's previous songs, 'We Can't Stop' has many references to drugs and sex, for example "got somebody here, I might get some now" and "trying to get a line in the bathroom". Much like 'Can't Be Tamed', Miley is continuously aiming to please older audiences in order to break free from her childhood image and widen her fan base. Cyrus promotes her new look within this music video, display her cropped blonde and her more edgy fashion sense. In 'We Can't Stop' Miley wears a lot of white clothing, maybe to connote her new artistry and to show that she has broken free from her childhood image. She uses voyeurism to attract attention - by wearing revealing clothing she informs the audience that she has grown up and is rebelling from her past. The visuals obviously match the lyrics as the music video shows Miley partying and having a good time (displaying her youthfulness), however to appear to create a sexual magnetism and appeal to male audiences as much as female, Cyrus appears to flaunt herself provocatively, a feature that clearly contrasts with her first music video. In relation to Dyer's theory, Miley's body language and clothing displays a lot of sexual magnetism, more so than 'Can't Be Tamed' or 'Start All Over', therefore creates a lot of hype and widens her fan base.

'We Can't Stop' definitely follows Dyer's 'Star Theory'. Most of the common values of star (youthfulness, rebellion, sexual magnetism, originality, creativity/talent, aggression, and references to drugs and sex) are evident within her latest music video, which has increased since her first music video. Miley also displays how she is simultaneously ordinary and extraordinary, as she displays an ordinary persona however has extraordinary creativity within her music and music video. With the release of her music video, she has also been simultaneously present through the media and public performances. 

For the 2013 VMA's, Miley Cyrus performed 'We Can't Stop' whilst wearing a nude coloured bra and bottoms and dancing provocatively around Robin Thicke. Relating to Dyer's theory, the youthfulness, sexual magnetism and rebellion within this performance was used to create hype and put Miley's name in the media, therefore promoting herself as a product because of her outrageous performance. After attracting so much attention, this performance was guaranteed to promote Miley and widen her fan base. 

The reason for Miley's drastic change in image, music, videography and behaviour is to break free and rebel against the 'Disney Channel' label that she developed after finding fame on Hannah Montana, and instead be a successful singer and performer. Using Dyer's theory she has been able to do so. For better or for worse is an indecisive question for audiences, however, over the past few years Miley Cyrus has definitely attracted a lot of attention and has managed to attract different audiences and widen her fan base.