Richard Dyer proposes that stars have multiple key features: they are images constructed from a range of materials to be consumed as commodities. They depend on subsidiary media and are made up of meanings that interest audiences. Stars must be simultaneously ordinary and extraordinary, and present and absent for consumers. Miley Cyrus's star image is incoherent, ensuring audiences strive to make sense of her through her products. Her unpredictable behavior and style changes keep audiences interested in completing her image through continued consumption. She applies the paradoxes by alternating between ordinary and extraordinary, and being present and absent from her "old" self through career changes.

1. Stars & Stardom
By Charlotte Frazer

2. Richard Dyer: What he proposes
 He proposes that stars have multiple key features in
common:
 A star is an image, not a real person, that has been
constructed from a range of materials
 Stars are commodities, produced and consumed on
the strength of their meanings
 They depend upon a range of subsidiary media;
magazines, TV, radio, the internet etc
 They are made up of a range of meanings that are
interesting to their target audience

3. The Paradoxes:-
 1: The star must be simultaneously
ordinary and extraordinary for the
consumer
 2: The star must be simultaneously
present and absent for the consumer

4. Star Image:
 The incoherence of the star image ensures that
audience's continually strive to try and make sense
of it
 This can be achieved through the use of the artist’s
products
 Performance seems to promise the completion of the
star image, but it is ultimately unsatisfying
 Audience’s will carry on consuming the star in order
to carry on attempting to complete their image
 Depending upon the artist, it means the audience’s
can be positioned against the mainstream or
somewhere inbetween

5. Miley Cyrus

6. Name: Destiny Hope Cyrus
(Miley Cyrus)
D.O.B: 23/11/1992
Nashville, Tennessee
Genre: Country, Pop, Rock,
R&B
Record Labels: Hollywood,
RCA
“Life is all about having a
good time”

7. Record Label: Advantages/Disadvantages
 Hollywood –
 Advantages: It’s parent company is ‘Disney Music
Group’ which is a large media conglomerate;
therefore, allowing artist’s to have a bigger budget. It
gains large recognition from backing the likes of
Demi Lovato, Bridgit Mendler and Selena Gomez.
 Disadvantages – It has a rather niche market due to
it supporting mainly ‘Disney Stars’, therefore, the
target audience would be aimed at younger children
from age 8 – 13.

8.  RCA –
 Advantages – Their parent company is ‘Sony Music
Entertainment’, this is another huge media
conglomerate which will enable its artist’s to have a
large budget. It was founded in 1901 which shows
that it has been highly successful as it is over 100
years old. It is the second oldest recording company
in US history. Artist’s include: David Bowie, Chris
Brown, Kelly Clarkson, Kasabian and Avril Lavigne.

9. Common Values:
 Miley has always had an
element of incoherence as her
image never appears to be
organized and lacks clarity for
her audience. She has
continued to change her style in
clothes, music and the style of
her hair. These changes that
escalate keep the audience
interested in her, as no one
knows what she’ll do next.
 At the start of Miley’s career
she came across as
redundant as her music
could be predicted and it
didn’t resemble artist’s such
as Rihanna or Madonna.
However, she has emerged
into an entropic artist as
everything she currently
does is unpredictable. For
example, dancing with teddy
bears is unpredictable and
had no relevance to the
song, ‘We Can’t Stop’.

10.  Miley has recently
campaigned for
‘Protect the skin
you’re in’ for cancer.
This creates a
juxtaposition within
her star image as it
goes against her wild
antics. The products
(T-Shirts) are
encouraging the
audience to carry on
consuming her image
in order to gain a
sense of completion
for her image.

11. Application of the Paradoxes:-
 Ordinary and extraordinary:- with Miley’s ever changing
appearance, she delves from the ordinary to
extraordinary continuously. As she grows into a young
adult, she has explored her extraordinary side more and
more. She has explained that she wanted to get away
from her childhood star days or being in Hannah
Montana. She’s growing within the industry – which
increases her audience consumption.
 Present and Absent:- Miley has been present and absent
in a number of ways. She changed her career path from
music to pursue an acting career, which she later
regretted. For a short while she took a break to explore
where she wanted to be in the industry. Although it is
argued she is absent from her ‘old’ self, she has just
grown like any other artist and has stated that she has
now discovered her true self.

12. What kind of Star Image do I want to create
for my artist/band?
 Due to the genre of the song I have chosen, my
artist will have to portray an alternative, country
appearance.
 It is common for my genre to be fairly redundant;
therefore, I think I will portray my artist to be
redundant as it would enable the audience to relate
to him more.
 The image of my artist will connote a laid-back,
relaxed feeling. I will achieve this through his style
(clothing) and the digi-pak for my music video.

13. The Image of Alternative Artist’s:-

14.  Many of the artist’s appear to be wearing shirts;
especially ones with a chequered design. This
connotes a relaxing, realistic and laid-back feeling
that the audience could easily relate to.
 The colours range from: black, red to neutral – most
of them are natural tones that resemble an
alternative, country feel.
 I will use similar ideas in order to create my artist’s
image.