Richard Dyer Star Theory

Richard Dyer's 'Star Theory'

Stars as constructions:

This is when artist change their style and appearance to fit the right category of what is available in the music world. For example One Direction is a great example since at the time when One Direction was on the XFactor there were not really any boy bands out there and were forgotten about. During when One Direction was on the XFactor they weren't originally a band they all auditioned as individuals but at boot camp the five boys were told by Simon Cowell and the other judges that they could continue the XFactor if the five became a group and as expected they said yes. They then continued all the way to the live shows the XFactor stylists worked together and they changed their style and hair so that they would have the right image. One Direction then went all the way to the final but they came 3rd place. However because people especially young girls aged 7 - 16 loved them they became very popular. 

Due to how popular they were and how much Simon Cowell liked and saw potential for the boys Simon signed One Direction to his record label Syco. They started recording their debut album and then went on tour. So things for the boys started moving quickly after the XFactor. Their album was released later that year and it was a complete success. However in March 2016 Zayn Malik left the band leaving just 4 guys in the band and then the boys had to re construct as a four man band but not long after the band broke up. 

Stars as personalities:

To be successful artists, they have to connect with their target audience on a personal level, as well as through their music. An example of an artists that does this is Adele. Adele has the most amazing songs and is so famous but when she speaks she has a real British accent and just by hearing her you can hear where she is from. Adele is an artist that young people can look up to because even though she is a very famous singer the fame hasn't changed her she is a very good star personality to be in the public eye, she makes great music and she supports many charities. 

What also makes Adele stand out is that the record label that she is with doesn't take over who she is for example she doesn't change the way she is because of the record label she is with tells her too they allow her freedom to be who she wants. Record labels sometimes make there signed artist change how they would act or dress etc. Whereas Adele has her own freedom and some artist are not as lucky as she is. 


Stars as products:

This is people who make money from merchandise for example  One direction have a lot of merchandise some examples are;  

- Posters
- Stationary
- Duvet covers
- Cushions

When the fans of one direction go to their concerts they are able to buy merchandise there which is very likely for fans to do because they are so excited about the artist performing that fans would buy merchandise there and then. The target audience that they would be aiming this type of merchandise at is girls aged 7 - 15 years old. 

This is because they are excited and young and if one directions face is on that piece of merchandise then those young girls would want to buy that. Merchandise doesn't just benefit the stars it can also benefit stores that sell merchandise because increase the amount of customers they have for example fans would go to the stores that sell these types of merchandise and a lot of money would be payed by these fans. 


Stars as embodiment's of ideologies and cultures:

Star embodiment is when different artist decide to make a new trend such as clothing lines, trying to help and improve things happening now. Artist with very large fan bases usually follow this trend because they either want to make a difference like that celebrity or perhaps be like that celebrity. An example of a artist that may inspire fans is Meghan Trainor. This is because she writes and sings songs about girls that don't look a certain way. For example the song 'All about that bass' she sings about bigger girls and to quote her lyrics "I ain't no size two" which can come across to say that she isn't a size two but she can still write a good song and become a famous singer and that if you want to get somewhere in life that you don't need to look a certain way. This might aspire some girls to be like her because she doesn't care about what people think about her and that she is just being her which girls might look up to because nowadays young girls are fixated on what they look like but what Meghan Trainor might be saying that what you look like doesn't define you as a person.