Artists as texts

Artists image is very important for the success of their marketing. The image a certain artist represents varies depending on the song and the artists current situation in the media.

In this photo the artist Katy Perry expresses herself in a sexual manner. She doesn't have a top or bra on, this makes her look provocative and sexy. Her dark black hair falls on her paler skin, making an effective contrast and grabbing the viewer's attention. Her necklace hangs down between her breasts, averting the viewers attention to this area, thus emphasising the sexual nature of the picture. However the necklace has crosses on, which could suggest a religious connotation, and the nudity could also express purity and realism. Her eyes are directed straight into the camera lens, making the photo more personal, but also more seductive and challenging for the audience to view. She is holding her breast with her left hand and covering the other with her arm, this could show a degree of innocence and self dignity to still want to cover up, however it could also suggest further sexual connotations, perhaps "teasing," primarily the male audience- thus attracting them to her image.

This photo is of the same female artist, Katy Perry, however it represents an entirely different image. In the picture Katy has her hair scraped back at the sides, pulling it away from her face, this exentuates her bone structure, creating a more pretty, and beautiful image. She has a pink flower clipped in her hair, this makes her seem girly and more child-like, thus portraying innocence. Her breasts and cleavage are covered by a practical blouse, this makes her seem proper and decent. Her pink lipstick makes her girly, and gives a casual overall image, suggesting an angelic personality. However, her eyes are directed straight into the lens, this could suggest a degree of seduction, although in this image it adds a more personal touch, enabling girls to relate to her as a person.

This again is a photo of Katy Perry. The photo is of her at a red carpet event. This makes the picture quite fake, however not so manufactured as her image hasn't been altered for the shot. Her hair is quite scruffy and hasn't been perfectly styled, creating quite a down to earth, innocent effect. Her makeup is very minimalistic, making her appear pure and natural.  However her big hoop earrings create a more 'tampered with' look, making a more sexual image. Her arms and chest are bare, creating a sultry and seductive representation. Her top is leopard print, which has sexual connotations. Although her bare skin makes her seem seductive, it also shows purity, as her skin is oily and shining, it could also suggest good health and overall a realistic portrayal of an 'everyday' person- making the audience relate to her more.