“Adele shows off her dramatically slimmer figure in waist-defining black dress… as she gives fans a sneak peek at her next single ‘When We Were Young’”.
This is the title of a Daily Mail article published on Monday about Adele’s new song. Whilst I don’t recommend reading the Daily Mail in hope of intelligent writing on any topic, this is alarmingly revealing in terms of the media (and by extension our society) and its attitude towards female artists.
Adele’s “dramatically slimmer figure” preludes any mention of her talent. The media’s preoccupation with female sexuality and appearance is no surprise to us; the unrelentless obsession with image looms over any woman in the public eye. People are far more concerned with Kate Middleton’s dress and Kim Kardashian’s bum than the women themselves; God forbid these people may actually have personalities and something to say!
(Photo credit: Google)
The article continues: “Her strawberry blonde locks, now in a bouncy shoulder-length style, were perfectly coiffed”, such a trivial comment to make about a woman so powerful. Never mind that she is one of the most talented females on the planet. Never mind that she is estimated to be worth £50 million. Never mind that “Hello” sold a record breaking 1.11 million copies in the first week. Isn’t her hair perfectly coiffed?! If this was a fashion article, it would be different. But the piece claimed to be about the release of her latest single, despite mentioning it just once.
The sad thing is that Adele is an artist that in no way entertains this kind of press. She does not rely on sexual images to sell music. She does not sugar-coat her character to appear demure or appeal to male ideals. She is unapologetically loud and bright. Her music is art, holding a kind of emotion that is gradually slipping away in the corporate music machine of the Ariana Grandes and Selena Gomezes of our generation. We are told “sex sells”, but Adele is proof that it is not a requirement. As Diana Vreeland said, prettiness is not a rent you pay for occupying a space marked “female”.
Adele’s recent cover for Rolling Stone magazine was praised for its destruction of the male gaze. She seems to be looking at something or someone else; perhaps she is looking in a mirror. The cover is simple, refreshing and beautiful. She is not being watched – she is not an object.
(Photo credit: Rolling Stone)
As Kat George recently wrote in Vice: “What does it say about a culture when it’s considered ‘daring’ to put a woman on a magazine cover without the pretense of sex? … There’s a general consensus that once a woman allows herself to be revealed, she is owned by those she reveals herself to.”
Adele makes it clear in this image that she is not public property. When a woman becomes famous, society immediately feels entitled to her body and her life. Many would argue that she has chosen fame, therefore she has chosen to give up her privacy and that she should expect to be scrutinised. But this type of thinking breeds a dangerous celebrity culture. Amy Winehouse is an example of how detrimental such invasions can be. We need to stop forcing our way in to every aspect of an artist’s life, particularly when it comes to their appearance: how much weight they’ve lost, their diet, their exercise regime, the surgery they’ve undergone.
In an age of the paparazzi, hyper-sexualisation and plastic surgery, the pressure to be perfect has never been so intense. This doesn’t just apply to celebrities: how long does the average girl spend taking selfies or choosing an amazing profile picture or getting ready for a night out? There is nothing wrong with taking pride in your appearance, but the expectation upon young men and women to look amazing 24/7 can be extremely damaging. What happens in the media filters down and affects normal people and everyday life.
My point is that Adele sets an amazing example for the crazy world of celebrity. Whilst I disagree that those in the public eye have a “duty” to be role models, Adele is an amazing one. She does not parade herself in front of the paparazzi, offering herself up like a piece of meat to the hyenas of News International. She relies on nothing but her voice, which is extremely moving. Feminism needs Adele as a reminder that there is more to the female artist than society’s cookie cutter idea of beauty.
Adele’s new album 25 is out November 20th.