Source I
I feel Kelly Clarkson is a great representation of women
as well as a great role model for young females these days. It all starts with how she reached her
success. Everyone knows her as the ‘first,
original American Idol’.
The main goal of this show was to find the next greatest superstar among
a group of average, everyday, normal people.
Therefore Kelly Clarkson represents all those women who have dreams of
doing something that seems almost unimaginable.
She shows us that as long as we work hard towards something we love, we
can reach the top. Further Kelly
represents those artists who stay true to their image and self. I recall her saying in an interview something like before she won American Idol, a record label approached her however they
wanted her to change her image and become more provocative such as Christina
Aguilera. She told them no because she
felt that singing was about talent and not looks, she refused to be another
lifeless being that the capitalist society could use to make money off. With that she was telling the world that
women are not to be treated like pieces of meat, just there to look aesthetically
pleasing and pleasure society.
One of her songs that speaks to this
is “Mr. Know It All”. Some of the lyrics
are “Mr. Bring Me Down/Well you like to bring me down, don't you/But I ain't
laying down/Baby I ain't going down/Can't nobody tell me how it's gonna be…you
should know that I lead not follow…You ain't got the right to tell me/When and
where to go…'Cause I'm living my truth without your lies” (Source III). Another criticism Kelly has been faced with
for not choosing to fit into this image is that of her weight. I feel she represents an average body size,
however because she isn’t a size 4 people in the media have called her fat.
Source II
A song that speaks to this ‘not fitting in’
is “People Like Us”. Part of the lyrics
are “[t]hey try and knock us down/But change is coming, it's
our time now…Everybody wants to throw it all away sometimes…It's a revolution,
after all your tears have turned to rage/Just wait, everything will be okay…You've
just gotta turn it up loud when the flames get higher” (Source IV). She is saying don’t let them get to you, you
are stronger and can fight this. Yes it
may be easier sometimes to forget your individuality and just go with flow of
everyone else, but if you push through it will get better. Further in the song she says “They can't do
nothing to you, they can't do nothing to me/This is the life that we choose,
this is the life that we bleed/So throw your fists in the air, come out, come
out if you dare/Tonight we're gonna change forever” (Source IV). This is her saying that you should do what you
want with your life, that we are truly stronger than this capitalist society
when we work together.
Source V
Now in
the video of this song the setting seems to be a research facility or a
detention centre for misfits who don’t fit in.
The people who are in muted, black and white tones represent capitalist
society. They also represent those almost
lifeless beings, going with the flow and succumbing to the consumption of
completely useless items. On the other
hand the people who are portrayed in vibrant colour are the ones that don’t fit
in. However they are the true
representation of body image and beauty.
They are unique, have a conscience, and are the ones that will make a difference
in society.
Sources
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