Is it just me or have the marketing pictures for Alicia Keys latest album shown her are being multiple shades lighter than before?Is this some sort of strategy to make her more appealing to the general market?
Has she just not been getting much sun? Do people get lighter as they get older?
What's going on?!
I love Alicia Keys so to me it makes no difference, I however wonder if this is more of the same lighter is better stuff. Remember the "Light-skin party" in Detroit recently?
What do you think?
14 comments:
I agree with you completely. This is becoming more and more a part of the whole shallow, cynical, money-as-god marketing machine behind so much of the modern entertainment arena.
Beyonce is another good example of the gradual "whitening up" of an artist as they became more famous; check out pics of her from the first Destiny's Child album compared to shots of her now...
hi Shelly,
This is disturbing that in 2007 the whole lightening-up thing is still going on.
And you're right, Beyonce is another great example of this as well.
I don't see that Alicia Keys is growing lighter a la Beyonce, but I do think her record company is gradually erasing the more Afrocentric elements of her style. Gone are the braids and cornrows. Gone is the urban wear. Gone (or toned down)is the "blaccent." I wonder how long before they give her blonde highlights, then honey-colored hair, then full-on blonde like Beyonce, Mariah, JLo and other singers of color marketed to America. Alicia seems to be going through the same blandification to make her more acceptable to the mainstream.
Hi Tami,
Remember when Pink was very "urban", then she transitioned to being very "rock n roll". It's sort of the opposite thing, but still an effort to mainstream an artist.
I cosign on Tami's comment. I definitely thought the braids thing when she came out was being used as a way of downplaying her biracial identity. I've always sort of thought the record companies worried she wouldn't sell to black audiences with her hair out and flat ironed straight.
Hi Liz,
I hadn't considered that her marketers might have been concerned about non-acceptance by the Black audience. I think you and Tami may be correct about that.
It's so strange and yet not surprising that all those things must be considered rather than just the music itself. I guess though that is the reality of the marketplace.
Very interesting.
Yeah, I've been noticing Alicia Keys, myself - does anyone know how old she is? Could she personally be growing through a different phase?
Hi Lisa,
Alicia is 27. Her new cd comes out tommorow, which is why I was thinking about her today. I've already dwnloaded her first single No One. I can't wait to hear the rest of the album.
How was your birthday?
Mes Deux Cents: I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I might incriminate myself. . . :)
Lisa,
Okay, well that answers my question! (lol)
In my younger years I once attempted to get into the music industry and I found one word to describe the entire thing. SHADY!
More than likely what are noticing is a PR campaign based on the trends. Some of the image depends on how much artistic and contractual control the artist has.
For example, a question to ask is which version of Alica Keyes? Was the image for her first album the real her, or is this the real her? As was brought up before, her first image may have been to get the urban stamp. Now that she received that this image may be to get the wider appeal. Also, without make-up is she lighter or darker? Maybe the make-up from her first image made her appear darker, and now she is going by her more natural shade. Maybe it is the reverse. Hard to say unless you see her in person without make up.
Both images may not even be who she really is on a day to day basis. Just look at the artist who have completely changed the sound, the wardrobe, etc. based on what is popular. Quite a bit of entertainment is based on image and is a part of the job of those in entertainment.
Hi Ehav,
You make great points. I had not considered that the current Alicia may be the real Alicia.
I supose what it really boils down to is that showbiz is mostly an illusion.
How many singers are there out there who are mostly a product of the studio, and are not really very good live?
Thanks
Hey MDC,
I would say that every entertainer who has an image consultant is an illusion when the camera or the mike is on. Elements of who they are may come out when they do their craft, but in order to sell something you have to be somewhat of an illusion. When I was in high school I was in a rap duo for a short time, and we had some producers who were sizing us up based on an image. I had one image and my partner had another image.
Also, when you look at singers who for example don't write their own songs. They are either just singing it without a connection to the lyrics, or working to make the song their own. Whether they believe in the content or not could be anyone's guess.
Of course I am not saying this to down people in the entertainment industry. It is an industry and it is a job.
Ehav,
Thanks, I suppose the illusion is what makes us all tune in or listen. If entertainers acted like 'regular' people, what would be the draw? We see regular people every day. (lol)
Anyway, I love Alicia Keys, I think she's really talented and is one of the few current day artists I expect to be around in 20 years.
By the way her new album is out today!
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