Yeah, I know, it’s been done for centuries, etc., etc., but I’m just venting. I have tickets to see Ana Popovic this Friday, who I think is a fine blues singer and a better-than-credible guitarist. But my wife takes one look at her album covers (Unconditional) and decides she’s just some harlot.
Why do serious woman artists do this? It might sell a little more music but IMHO it makes people take them less seriously as an artist. And it’s much more prevalent for women than men.
Sounds like a problem with the people if you ask me.
Meh. Sex sells. Musicians will do whatever they think will help their career. It’s all about moving units and putting butts in seats.
What about Opera start Anna Netrebko, or classical pianist hottie Yuja Wang, who plays Mozart in tight minidresses and spike heels? Again, whatever puts butts in seats…
Pat Benatar had a major problem with this in her early years. The label kept wanting her to dress slutty and be a sex symbol. She had to go along with some of it if she wanted the label’s help in promoting her music. Sex as a Weapon was an example of her revolting against this.
Sometimes you’re just not in a position to fight the label.
Doing a 2-second Google search and seeing some pics, it seems as though she presents her guitar playing as a sexual/sensual experience. As blues can be.
It would seem as though she dresses somewhat provocatively when she performs - at least with sexy slinky tops or dresses, and nothing-to-the-imagination pants.
Doesn’t seem out of place with her guitar playing or her singing or performing. The whole thing is sex. Doesn’t seem like it’s great guitar playing with an added bonus of boobs. Her sexuality is part of her whole act. It’s probably a sexual experience for her.
Why should she not be expressing this? Why does it make you not take her seriously?
I’ll admit I have not listened to many of her songs for context, just some snippets for “feel.” Is she singing about puppies and kittens and washing dishes and going to work, or is she singing often about sex?
If you got it, use it to your advantage.
I would go even farther to say that many have careers because they are appealing to the eye.
Consider: What do you think the distribution is of equally talented singer/performers who are not all attractive? Maybe a bell curve with the majority being of average appearance? Yet, pull out any random sampling of 20 albums by female artists - all are kinda good looking, yah? What happened to all the average looking artists? They never got hired/an album contract/etc. to go very far in the biz.
Is it really, though? Seems like there are a lot of male artists who can’t wait to get their shirt off or wear ridiculously tight pants. I kind of feel like there’s a double standard there where it’s o.k. for men to do it, but women who do it are “sluts”.