The Female Artist’s Rebrand: When Does It End?

We have all seen the horrors and triumphs of young female artists like Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, and Miley Cyrus during their iconic phases, but how do we really know when these identities are true?

Written by Julia Cuddy

Photo courtesy of TaylorSwiftVEVO

The sheer number of years that Taylor Swift has been in the public eye is astounding. During her over 15 year career, the 30-year-old country-cutie-turned-pop-sensation has changed her style musically and physically what seems to be every other day. What exactly, though, is the reason for these transformations, and to what end?

While evolving in appearance and identity, especially among angsty adolescents, is inevitable, artists like Taylor Swift seem to run through personas like it’s part of the job — beyond a normal growing up and “discovering yourself” journey. With each album and tour cycle, Swift’s aesthetic has changed entirely. Since starting as a fresh-faced teenage country singer, strumming away about her innocent crushes, she has evolved into an outspoken, edgy force who’s eager to toss out an unsolicited shout-out to an ex in song. But who’s to blame for her rushed, shape-shifting journey over the years?  

In her new Netflix documentary, Miss Americana, Swift points to the toxicity of pop culture, explaining that “there’s always some standard of beauty that you’re not meeting” when in the spotlight. Swift felt a constant pressure to make drastic changes in her appearance in order to remain relevant and keep audiences on their toes. The idea that women in the spotlight can get boring and almost redundant has pushed performers like Swift to force abnormal phases of change with dramatic distinctions to stay interesting. It’s an idea that Swift has even acknowledged in her music, as seen in the self-referential and meta music video for “Look What You Made Me Do,” where she gathers all her past personas and kills them off in favor of the new reputation-era Taylor. 

So when does this end? Swift's former wholesome country-singer style and teenage diary-esque lyrics maybe wouldn’t have reached the top of the charts in 2020’s progressive and provocative music scene. Over the past few years, Swift has experienced a political awakening of sorts. She endorsed a Democrat candidate against a conservative Tennessee Republican Senator in the 2018 midterms, made public calls for gun control (including a donation to the March For Our Lives rally), and donated $113,000 to an advocacy group working against anti-LGBT bills in Tennessee before promoting LGBTQ+ rights with her music video for “You Need To Calm Down.” Her new determination to be an outspoken figure seems a far cry from the shyness of her teens and twenties when she steered clear of controversial subjects.

Other female pop stars have also taken drastic measures to change their image, often in more-than-head-turning ways. Similar to Swift, Miley Cyrus has transformed from a soft-spoken Disney-girl-slash-country-star to a bold activist — with, of course, her all-too infamous bad-girl phase sprinkled in that erred toward cultural appropriation that Cyrus has since apologized for. Fortunately, she has landed in a much better place and continues to promote her non-profit, Happy Hippie, which donates to vulnerable members of the LGBT+ community facing homelessness. And, most recently, Cyrus has been inspiring her millions of followers through her Instagram show, Bright Minded. The show captures Cyrus and her celebrity guests in a candid light, opening up to an extremely relevant dialogue about mental illness, creativity, and loneliness. 

Photos courtesy of Insider

We all know Ariana Grande from her iconic red-head years playing the childish, bubbly and — let’s face it — highly irritating character Cat Valentine on Nickelodeon's Victorious. She has since then developed into a more mature figure as far as her appearance, constantly sporting her sleek high ponytail and thigh high boots. Her music developed alongside her look, bringing in lyrics that got more adult-like as the years progressed. Sugary tunes like “Honeymoon Avenue”, on her debut album in 2013 feel positively tame compared to tracks like “Bad Decisions” from her album Dangerous Woman that came four years later. This decade-long transformation certainly came with criticism from many, whether discouraging her look and sound to be too cutesy, too scandalous, or downright disrespectful with her donut-licking scandal.

Grande never seemed to get approval from the media until recently, as she has been more transparent in regards to her past relationships, emotions, and current social views. In her most recent record, thank u next, Grande has taken an even bigger leap towards authenticity with tracks like “fake smile,” which explains the facade that she has felt pressured to put up in order to disguise emotions. And, “ghostin”, which she revealed touches on the difficulty of being in a relationship and thinking about a past love. Grande’s current music is a true testament to the more open and genuine figure that the pop-star has evolved into. 

Each time a female artist rebrands, the media breaks down the complexities of these women and tears apart every inch of their bodies, every word they utter, and every lyric they sing. They’re boiled down to a simple, easy-to-swallow, one-word description — Swift’s journey has taken her through phases of being innocent, sweet, rebellious, badass, and now, politically-involved. Luckily, today’s fans crave authenticity — they want to see relatable and honest musicians with their own set of beliefs and values woven into their music and social presence. Younger generations appreciate individualism as well as musical talent, and they like to see their favorite artists make use of their platforms. Young people not only prefer to see public figures show themselves authentically, but they now more than ever need to see this. Artists are breaking down all previous barriers, especially through social media, sharing themselves entirely with audiences that need to see the humanity of figures that are too often put on towering pillars. 

Finally, Grande, Swift and Cyrus are not only allowed, but encouraged to be themselves. The question now is, have they arrived at their final destinations — personas, if you will — as musicians and growing performers? Stars like Lizzo, Billie Eilish, Charli XCX and the rest of the new wave of pop girls represent a drastic departure from the pressure for female artists to be simple, quiet, and easily digestible. Time will tell if authenticity stays trendy.