Dyer: Star theory/ Digipak research

Dyer: Star theory- Digi pak research

 Since beginning year 13 I knew that I needed to research certain aspects of the music video production and narrative. I came across the Dyer Star theory which allowed me to grasp a better understanding of how to portray a music artist.

The study of stars as components of media texts demands that the distinction be made between those who are simply known for performing pop music and those who are known for being pop stars, who have an identity or persona which is not restricted solely to their musicianship.

One of the reasons so many pop performers are described as pop stars is that they are quickly promoted to this status by their management. This is easily done courtesy of a few judiciously placed stories, a famous boyfriend/girlfriend, attendance at premieres/parties. It can be easy to forget about the music in the light of the outfits or love affairs. There are some who appear to leapfrog the performer stage entirely, but they do have to go through it.

However, a true pop star does have a lasting significance, and has "brand awareness" among a wider market over a period of time. Many of the so-called pop stars populating the top forty currently have not made a sufficient sociological or cultural impact to be classified as true stars if we return to Richard Dyers’ definition. They will be forgotten by all but their most avid fans within a few years.

Dyer proposes that:

"A star is an image not a real person that is constructed (as any other aspect of fiction is) out of a range of materials (eg advertising, magazines etc as well as films.  As a record buying public, we prefer to believe in stars who are their own and our constructions rather than a transparent offering designed explicitly to appeal to our blander taste-buds served up by a record company interested only in our wallets. Stars are manufactured by the music industry to serve a purpose — to make money out of audiences, who respond to various elements of a star persona by buying records and becoming fans. Stars are the cogs around which a plethora of record company gears find themselves turning. Record companies nurture and shape their stars — as the TV talent show processes have shown us. They tend to manufacture what they think audiences want, hence the 'photocopied' nature of many boy bands, teen bands etc.However, there are whole markets out there who are not convinced by the hype and don't want to spend their money on blandness.The record industry also has a duty to provide bands/artists who are perceived as 'real' for these audiences. Stars can also be created by this route. Pop stars, whatever their nature, are quite clearly the product of their record company — and they must be sold." 

How can the Star Theory apply to an artist?

A music artist is seen by the public as a 'star' when they are recognised on multiple media platforms featuring them and their representation as an artist. When an artist is seen on various media texts such as CD covers, posters, billboards, adverts, articles, magazine covers, etc, this creates their stardom which allows them to be classed as a 'star', according to Dyer's theory. 

An artist who can be recognised by the public as a 'star' is Lana Del Rey, an alternative pop artist who's 'star' status became apparent following on from her features across all media platforms. This has allowed her representation to become very clear to her audience and has reached out to fans in many ways. 

According to Dyer, the marketing of an artist after they first release music is what creates their persona and overall image to the public eye, which develops into them being classed as a 'star'. Lana Del Rey is not an artist who is always in the top 40 however her music has had a social and cultural effect on her audience as she is an iconic individual who follows her own conventions and created her image solely through her alternative music. 

With creating this analysis of a Digi-pack of hers we are able to see how impacting her music can be and how the utilisation of these CD covers allow her to create an image and persona for herself which is unique and culturally impacting, adding to her 'pop star' factor. It shows how she is presented and marketed in order to have that social impact on her audience as opposed to it being just about the music. The level of iconic portrayed through these albums are what separates Lana Del Rey from artists whom are dominating the charts as none of them actually have a noticeable image, meaning that they cannot be classified as a pop star.

Lana Del Rey can also be seen on additional media platforms such as on magazine covers...