Journal Article Analysis
Ashanka Kumari has a great article in Yoü and I: Identity and the Performance of Self in Lady Gaga and Beyoncé (2016). It first discusses how both Lady Gaga and Beyoncé are breaking the mold of femininity by using a different performance name. This helps both performers, and many others, to be able to do and act a certain way that they personally would not feel comfortable doing. Having this different performance name is an example of an alter-ego. Furthermore, the article goes in depth on Beyoncé and how she wants to empower women and how her stage names are like characters. Another section then describes Lady Gaga and her performances are more like an art piece. Additionally, it is discussed why she uses another name to perform under instead of her sir name. Finally, everything is tied together by conversing how using these performance names allows for growth, creates new identities, experiment with new personalities, and even breaking the social norms (p 403-414).
Throughout reading the article, determining the audience this was intended for was simple. The general public that knows information on Lady Gaga and Beyoncé are the ones that would enjoy reading this article. Furthermore, the ones reading this article have to understand that both Lady Gaga and Beyoncé are stage names and possibly what they do under these stage names might not reflect what they personally believe or think. Also knowing a little more about Lady Gaga’s performance, in particular, the performance at the MTV Video Music Awards from 2011 would be helpful. This example for Lady Gaga is brought up several times throughout the article and demonstrates how you can be whoever you want to be with the change of a name. All of this was easy to determine because of how the author decided to write. Kumari’s style of writing was very easy to understand and follow. Starting with background information on both Lady Gaga and Beyoncé, to conversing about each individual performer and how they help break the social norms, to a gathering of all information to discuss the main idea behind the whole article.
Overall, the main point the author is trying to make is that stage names allow the performer to express their different ideas to their audiences. It also shows how Lady Gaga and Beyoncé break from the female performer norms and create their own way of doing things. Yet, there are others that have done the same like Cher, Madonna, and Ke$ha. In general, our given names are fixed to different expectations to how we need to act but it is really up to us on how we live out these names. Performing under a different name just gives the artist the ability to test different ideas before really conforming to them in their personal lives.
After reading the article, there are two opinions that can come out of it; do I agree or disagree with the author’s main points and why the article is or is not important. Personally, I do agree with the articles main point. For me, when I hear the names Lady Gaga and Beyoncé, I think of the performers, not the human that portrays the performer. With that being said, I unwillingly think that the ideas the performers portray are just those of the performers and not of the real person. That is not always the case but if it came from the person themselves, not many would like it or believe it. Furthermore, I believe that what the performers show and talk about are actually what the person believes but many people do not see it that way. This is brought up by Beyoncé in an interview by stating “Yoncé is Beyoncé. Mrs. Carter is Beyoncé. Sasha Fierce is Beyoncé. And I’m finally at a place where I don’t have to separate the two anymore. We’re all one. They are all pieces of me. Just different elements of a personality of a woman, because we are complicated” (p 409).
I also do believe that the article is important. It demonstrates how Lady Gaga and Beyoncé go outside the norm and do what they believe they should do. It is not always about conforming to what everyone else is doing or believes you should do. Being you is an important aspect of each human. We are different from the way we act, what we believe in, and how we see ourselves. One example of being ourselves is how Lady Gaga looks as she performs. She wears crazy outfits that are not normal for people to wear. Plus she portrays the other gender in certain aspects of her songs. Her performance at the MTV Music Awards is a prime example of portraying the other gender. She set the tone and scene for her song “Yoü and I” by acting as Jo Calderone and then performing it as him. Beyoncé Knowles does the same thing with different performing names such as Beyoncé and Sasha Fierce.
References
Browne, R. B. (2005). Profiles of popular culture: A reader. Madison, WI: The University of Wisconsin Press.
Kumari, A (2016). “Yoü and I”: Identity and the Performance of Self in Lady Gaga and Beyoncé. The Journal of Popular Culture, 49(2), 403-416
Kim,
ReplyDeleteYou made a good point when you said one would have to be familiar with the performance Lady Gaga did at the VMAs to understand this article. I had never seen this before so I had to watch the YouTube video before continuing reading, as it was brought up several times. I think you are correct that this article was showing the power of a name and what someone can do just by adopting a different one. When you said, "when I hear the names Lady Gaga and Beyoncé, I think of the performers, not the human that portrays the performer" I thought this was interesting because I believe that was one of the main points of the article. These artists have adopted different personalities in order to get people intrigued. The author shared that many would not listen to the viewpoints if they were not as outlandish as they are today. We are given names and behave accordingly within "gender roles" or "personality roles". When these artists create their own names they have to take on that presumed gender and personality role as well. I agree with you that this article is important and the two artists encompass being different and being themselves which in turn encourages us to do the same! Great post :)
Hello, I think you showed the points of what the author was trying to prove. These stage names, take the seriousness out of the given name of the artist. AS you stated, the artist can be who they want, when they are using their stage name. What I find interesting is the fact that "Hollywood" is now using these, "performance names" when they are naming their children. For example, Beyonce has named her daughter, Blue Ivy. This would not normally be considered a "normal" name. I find it interesting to see the different names that celebrities use.
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