Miley Cyrus comparison

Miley Cyrus Case Study Reflection of Laura Mulvey's Male Gaze Theory.

Throughout this review I will be analysing the representation of a female popular music artist. In this case I would like to examine the drastic representation of the artist known as Miley Cyrus and her transition from Disney sweetheart music artist to experimental diva.

Miley Cyrus was first known as 'Hannah Montana', a Disney channel figure who was meant to be a role model for young girls. Later on in her teenage years the show, Hannah Montana, ended and Miley Cyrus decided to pursue her music interest. Her first album, as Miley Cyrus, was called 'Can't Be Tamed' and this is where we saw her as a completely different person to 'Hannah Montana'.

 

Miley knew that she had to completely change her image if she wanted to start attracting the teenage/young adult audience. She had to change her young and innocent appearance to a more of a mature woman. She is a very good example of how an institution will change someone's appearance in order for them to become noticed.

Now that she is no longer a part of the Disney corporation she does not need to keep this kind of image and she can now explore a different image that she wants to be seen as. She already had the money to be able to create whatever kind of image she wanted. Miley Cyrus's real name is actually 'Destiny Hope Cyrus' however she decided to keep the name Miley as her stage name.

Comparision analysis of Can't be Tamed and Wrecking Ball

Watching these two videos (Hannah Montana - Nobody's Perfect and Miley Cyrus - Can't Be Tamed) along side each other shows the clear difference in how she wants to be represented. In the 'Can't be Tamed' video she is wearing a revealing outfit and her make up and hair looks very wild and Hollywood. Her new image is clearly linked to the Laura Mulvey Male Gaze theory. Seeing this kind of transition is quite normal among female artists. We tend to see that female artists will sexualise themselves in order to become noticed.



Her next album after 'Can't Be Tamed' was in 2013 called 'Bangerz'. 'Wrecking Ball' was her comeback song and video and it shocked many. Considering everyone used to know Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montana, a sweet Disney girl, it was a bit of a shock to see her completely naked and looking like a completely different person. As time has moved on, so has her image.

Summary

It is clear that Miley Cyrus has used conventions of Laura Mulvey's male gaze theory to adapt and evolve into her new image. Many other female artists do this in order to stand out to the main stream audience and the reason why they do it is because it works. There are many different kinds of reactions this as some people may be shocked, outraged, interested etc. Even though some of these reactions are not necessarily good, the fact that there is a reaction means they are becoming noticed, which is the whole point of it.