Research - Dyers Star Theory

What is a Star Theory?

The term star refers to the set of meanings and constructed around singers in order to sell their music to a mainstream or loyal audience, but mainly mainstream which is where they will be able to receive the most money.

Richard Dyer

" Star image is incoherent, that its incomplete and open"

" The star must be simultaneously ordinary and extraordinary for the consumer" - I believe that what Dyer was trying to say is that for an artist to be down to earth in order that people such as fans could relate to and connect with but also gain a super capability that will make the fans idolise them and look up to them.

" The star  must be simultaneously present and absent for the customer"-  What Dyer is saying that people should be able to hear about their favourite artist all the time on the media etc, which then makes them able to be present in the fans life all the time, but also at the same time absent as the fan will not be able to physically reach them.

Difference between Performer and Pop Star

Performers = They are not famous and there to showcase themselves, but they are there purely for their talents, just to perform their music

Pop Start =  Pop stars images are created around the audience, they are created to please the audience and entertain them.

Dyers identified four elements to recognise a star....

1. Stars and Constructions

Stars are constructed in a way that will make them stand out to the audience. An example is Beyoncé who is now one of the biggest stars worldwide, you are now able to buy into her, she has merchandise all over the world.

 

2. Industry and Audience

Stars are manufactured to make money, the industry takes care of the stars and in a way own them to they are moulded into products for the audience, to entertain them.

Pop stars, are products of their nature, are quiet clearly the product of their record company

In the company there is someone fresher and younger to choose from, another way to produce a star with long lasting appealing, who once their band is established can cater to a fan audience for decades.

 

Britney 200s

Britney 1999



Britney 2015
 

3. Ideology and culture

Stars represent culture values and attitudes and promote a certain ideology. Audience interests in these values enhances their 'star quality' and create their star persona.

social networks give pop stars the opportunity to establish their own values outside their music. For the audience this means that they will be able to draw close to the artist as they will be able to get to know the artist better, and develop their thinking in a similar way.

4. Character and Personality

The star is a construct, but the construct that has a foundation of realism. Stars provide audiences with a focus for ideas of what people are supposed to be like. stars may support hegemony. For example starts from the lights of Beyoncé and Jennifer Lopez provide the audience with the idea of the ideal woman strong independent, voluptuous encouraging girls to be more like them. This links to hegemony as they are trying to create an ideology for how all girls should look.  

Control

At the peak of their career stars don't hold somewhat of control on what they want to be seen as by the audience all the control Is kept on the management and industry, so that they can see how to turn that artist into a star. Later on once they gain success and are older and know a bit more about the industry, the artist has more of a say on what he/she wants the audience to see them as. For example Jay-z who is now a star he now own his own company and has a big input on how he presents himself to the audience and fans.

Conclusion

This theory is important because it enables the audience to tell the difference between the star and a performer, Also the industry will be able to create a star by using these theories. In my video I am going to present my artist as a innocent young lady who is simply looking to have some fun. So I have chose to create a performer rather than a star because I want my artist to be down to earth, relatable person that her fans can truly connect to rather than someone who they wish they could be.