Katy Perry

Katy Perry's music videos need to appeal to her target audience and reflect her private life.

• Target audience = young girls (14-17).

• Katy Perry has to:
• a) be like an older sister / friend
• b) reflect some of the anxieties young girls have
• c) be someone young girls can admire and want to be (appear sexy in a non-threatening way).

“Hot and Cold” 2008

• Presents herself as a victim – slightly comic – everybody’s friend – laugh at herself?

         
           

Throughout the video Katy Perry plays a very dramatic Bride as her husband-to-be seems to be having second thoughts. The whole video is very comical and doesn't seem to be as serious as the problem she is having. This humor may be her way of making fun of herself and showing how she isn't a serious person. There are many shots of dancers and bright colours, which are not reflecting the lyrics at all.

   

''Last Friday Night'' (2010)

• Not afraid to be ugly (braces) – becomes beautiful.

         

The music video for ''Last Friday Night'' is a very good way of telling Katy's audience that they are beautiful, and it doesn't matter what they look like. This funny video is not only entertaining but it also has a message for her target audience. Throughout the video. Katy Perry is seen as a nerdy unpopular girl, However, she finds herself caught up in a party. She is still able to have a good time even though she doesn't seem to go to many parties or socialize in these sort of settings.

The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work.

There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens, telescopes, looking into the camera etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body. Katy Perry’s videos appear ‘Feminist’ but she also appears ‘sexy’ in parts.

There is often inter textual reference (to films, TV programs, other music videos etc – “Wide Awake” refers back to “California Girls” and “Firework”).