1. REPRESENTATION IN
THE MUSIC INDUSTRY

2. What is Representation?
Representation refers to the
construction in any medium
(especially the mass media) of
aspects of ‘reality’ such as people,
places, objects, events, cultural
identities and other abstract
concepts. Such representations
may be in speech or writing as well
as still or moving pictures.

3. What is Representation?
Representation describes the signs
that stand in for and take the place of
something else.
It is through representation people know
and understand the world and reality
through the act of naming it
Signs are manipulated in order to make
sense of the world.

4. Representation VS
Reality NORMAL PEOPLE IN
THE ‘REAL’ WORLD
‘pick
Different media producers
up’ aspects of ‘REALITY’
society AND reshapes
them to suit current trends in
society that will foster profit-money
making for the medium they occur in
or for the product they are going to
sell.
In doing this, media producers use
STEREOTYPES as they
are a quick, if distorted way, of
conveying information because they
are easily recognised by audiences.

5. Reality TO Representation
in music videos
THIS TO THIS

6. How did this happen?
Using Stereotypes from
the ‘real’ world.
• the music video
producers of today
represent girls by
‘borrowing’ an old
Stereotype from the
Showgirls of the
silent film era in the
1920s and Burlesque
girls from even
earlier.

7. Stereotype 1–
an old image:
The Burlesque Girl
1899
Burlesque THIS
girls TO
THIS 1920s
Burlesque
girls

8. Characteristics of the
‘Burlesque Girl’ Stereotype
•Corsets
•Feather boas
•Fishnet Stockings
•Top Hats or ‘show’ hats
•Accessories like canes or microphone
used as a cane
•Elbow length gloves

9. From Burlesque to
Music video 2000s
THIS
TO
THIS
Lady Gaga
‘Bad
Romance’

10. Stereotype 2– The Stripper
THIS
T
O
Real
TO THIS
Stripper in a
Candy Girls
nightclub
Music video
Beyonce THIS

11. Characteristics of the
‘Stripper’ Stereotype in
music videos
• The ‘open’ crouch
• Using actual poles or walls like
poles
• Bra and G-Strings
• The bum shot – wiggle
• Stripper shoes
• Glitter on clothing/body; strobe
lights

12. Stereotype 3– The
Gangsta Hoe
THIS
T
O
THIS
Gangsta girl in the ‘real’
world-America
50 cent music video stills

13. Characteristics of the
‘Gangsta Hoe’ Stereotype in
music videos
• Afro-American women and girls
• Bikini Tops and torn shorts – 95% skin
exposure
• The backward cap
• The ‘Krumping’ moves
• Simulated sexual positions
• The use of water/oil on bodies
• The ‘Bling’
• Tattoos and blatant body
jewellery/piercings

14. Gangsta Hoe meets the
Stripper in the music video
Top rap music videos female artists 2010

15. Representation
Now

16. Representation Now

17. Representation Now

18. Representation Now

19. The effect of the
Representation on girls in
the ‘real’ world
Gangsta Babies for sale
10 year olds going to a party -
America

20. The effect of the
Representation on girls in
the ‘real’ world

21. The effect of the
Representation
on girls in the
‘real’ world
Pole Dancing Doll Toy

22. Messages of Representation
• The objectification of women and
girls
• Women and girls are disposable
and interchangeable
• Women’s own sexuality only exists in
relation to men
• Women and girls are passive and
acted upon - there to be watched
(The Male Gaze)
• Women and girls only have
ascribed meaning in relation to
men (either directly or implied)

23. Values of
Representation
• Women and girls are ‘cheap’ and ‘easy’
• Women and girls are their bodies
• Women and girls are powerless
• Women get rewarded for sexual
behaviour (either through money or
through ‘fame’)
• Women are commodities on the open
market
• Women who don’t fit the stereotype are
not women

24. How does this representation
FIT with this Post- Feminist
age?
•Largely educated female population in Western
World
•Independent and disposable income
•Sexual freedom from pregnancy
•‘Gansta’ represents only a small proportion of
selected areas of the USA-but influence of
American media organisations is worldwide. E.g.
MTV; Sky; Cable and Digital TV delivery
•The legitimisation of prostitution- legal in NZ
since 2003; parts of Africa; Asia; Europe; South
America and Australia – any link?

25. Representation in the
Future in music videos?
• Where could this representation
go?
• What kind of music videos will
we see?
• What kind of music videos will
your children see?

26. How is this relevant to
our Pop Video?
• We wanted our artist Jayme-Lee
to meet and subvert the
conventions of a pop video, when
we filmed the club scene the
clothes she wore were very
minimal however when she was
representing ‘love’ she was more
covered up and comfortable.