A2 Media Music Video - Artist Research

Above: Current top female solo artists that are dominating the charts. Bottom Right: my artist, Caroline Larsson.

In today’s current music charts, one particular type of artist is dominating the market; the female soloist. From pop starlets such as Britney Spears & Pixie Lott, ‘R n B’ divas like Beyonce & Keri Hilson, Electro enigmas like Little Boots & La Roux, Rock chicks like Kelly Clarkson and Pink and then just plain crazy girls like Lady GaGa; all of them have been massively successful in recent months. Nowadays, it’s harder for new and fresh female artists to make their mark on the industry unless they sex appeal, a unique style or both.

To make my music video the most realistic that it can be in today’s current climate, I need to create a unique look and style for the model who will be portraying my chosen artist. I also need to adhere to the “sex sells” movement (the feeling that the sexier the artist, the more records they sell); and make my model look visually attractive to the public eye. My chosen artist Caroline Larsson has a superb singing voice, yet currently, her look is kind of outdated for the current market. Her original “rock-chick” look with guitar in hand is more representative of her music than her most recent photoshoot, in which she was seemingly overdressed. I need to create a look similar to her Powerpop/Rock style, and this must be a combination of sexiness with a powerful, eye-catching edge to reach out to as many people as possible.

Above: Current top female solo artists that have striking hair styles.

The first thing I researched that could be the symbol of an individual look is hair. When looking at several female artists, I realised that some people’s hair is incredibly unusual. For example; singer’s such as Lady GaGa and La Roux have their hair in bizarre styles and positions. La Roux’s hair is reminiscent of the era in which her music is unfluenced by, The 80’s. GaGa’s hair has been known to be in many shapes and positions and this wacky style is also reflected by her outrageous music. My chosen’s artists music is Powerpop/Rock so I need to create a look for her that also reflects her genre. Looking at similar artists such as Pink, her hair is mostly natural with some form of unique twist. I think I should take more inspiration from this; rather than making my artist’s hair look like a sun or a button.

Above: Current top female solo artists with trademark style.

Outfits are also a key part in artists defining an image. Recently, after her successful song ‘Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)’, Beyonce Knowles has started to wear a leotard-like outfit that shows off her amazing figure. When people see that form of outfit now, they automatically associate it with Beyonce, yet would such a striking outfit be what my artist needs? I’m not so sure.

Above: Rock legends who utilize face paint as a key feature of their appearance.

After further research, I could not find a single recent artist that uses make-up/face paint as a symbol of their music. I feel that this would without fail be an excellent look for my artist. Using a feminine yet modern facepaint motif over the eye or cheek of my artist, I feel that this would be a trait that would be most recognizable as ‘my artists’. Other rock stars including David Bowie and Adam Ant have used make-up in this way before; so why not a woman? After all, it is more acceptable for women to wear make-up. I feel that this visual feature is perfect for my artist. After creating the right design, I feel that face paint is a great way to make my artist stand out from the crowded genre of female soloists and could become an excellent marketing technique also.