Popstar Pitfalls
Posted by anastasia on 06-22-2005
I posted the other day about an article I was interviewed for (that I think will appear at some point on Grammy.com) about the transition teen pop stars have to make into being “adult artists,” how they can retain their original fanbase or whether they can make a comeback at all (hello Hanson). I was asked about what I see as being the pitfalls for these artists and reading the reviews of Lindsay Lohan’s new vehicle otherwise known as “Herbie: Fully Loaded” made me think about the advice I gave the reporter. Many of the reviews mention Lohan’s tabloid exploits and the challenge of reconciling the squeaky clean role she plays in “Herbie” with her not so clean headlines in the gossips. I actually think “Herbie” will do really well — it’s Lohan’s image that has taken a beating. Here is my advice (for what it’s worth) to teen pop stars “in transition”:
1) If your fan base is primarily tweens or skews younger, opting for the “not that innocent” route will ultimately alienate this fan base or just piss off their parents so they will no longer buy your music. Going the Britney route may win over lots of new fans (especially 50-year-old pervy men), but it also will overshadow your actual talent if you have any. You can do sexy without being slutty. I would point to someone like Joss Stone as an example of this.
2) If you want to go from teen idol to respected pop star, try the Timberlake approach. Although we haven’t heard from Britney’s ex for a while except in Cameron/Justin related gossip, I think he successfully made that transition by teaming up with very talented producers and making a respectable solo CD. So picking the right producers and image handlers is really key to reinvention (along with a lot of luck).
3) Avoid the allure of the “tripple threat” — especially if you want to be known and remembered for being a great musical artist. Everyone wants to be J. Lo and the reality is not everyone can act, dance and sing (personally I don’t think Jennifer can sing and her acting has been questionable lately). But going from pop singer to movie star is tough (yes, I know J. Lo did this in reverse order). Hilary Duff’s movie just got panned, Britney’s “Crossroads” was weak, Mandy Moore has done so-so and look at Madonna, the mother of all pop starlets. She has left a trail of movie bombs with the exceptions of “Desperately Seeking Susan” and “Evita.”
Got any others? Disagree with mine? Post a comment.
P.S. for the advertising/marketing folks: Note that “Herbie” is overflowing with product placements including promoting NASCAR heavily.
Categorized under: Movies & Music, Youth Marketing