Appling Goodwin's and Mulvey's theory to voyeurism in music videos.

Voyeurism has been used in music videos feom the past to sale an artist to wider audience; this is also another way of creating an artist's new image-theough sexually temptations from the opposite sex. Due to voyeurism of artists theories have been created by Andrew Goodwin Laura Mulvey, their theories explain voyeurism and how it may affect an artist and how it helps them to grow as an artist.

Andrew Goodwin’s theory outlines many key features in relation with a music video but voyeurism play a major part for females in music videos. Goodwin argues that female performers are often being objectified in music videos, the camerawork and editing is done to fragment the body shots and to emphasise a sexualised treatment of the star. For example, Beyonce ‘Crazy right now in love’, Kelis ‘Milkshake’ etc... Goodwin also outlines that in male performances, male bodies are also objectified however, females are only used as dancers as adornments flattering the male star ego. An example of this is by 50 cent ‘Candy shop’. Nicki Minaj ‘Super bass’ and Trey songs ‘Neighbours know my name’ is one of those songs that objectify both female and male performers. There are extreme close-ups used to sale the artist such as, (Super bass) close-ups of the mans lips and the low angled tilt shots to the show the figure of the artist are all there to sale Nicki Minaj and the song. As for Trey songs, this particular music video contains many extreme close-ups of the artist with a female performer “making out scenes”. 

Laura Mulvey’s theories outline the male gaze; this belief is when music videos are created for male viewers and for their sexual temptations. Mulvey argues that it is a male controlling gaze that always objectifies female performers and that women learn to be looked at. There are many examples that illustrate this theory such as, trey songs. However there is also a second view to this theory which is that the male body can also be a female gaze objectification. For example Lady Gaga and Madonna who are equally and powerful independents who have added to the complexity of the gaze of being at once sexually apparently in control.

Overall, music videos contain some aspects on voyeurism which objectify either a male performer or a female performer but the visual is so strong, so emotive and in flow with the song that it attracts the viewers. Voyeurism has been applied efficiently to most music video to objectify and sale the artist to a wider audience. Voyeurism is just another way of marketing the song and the artist’s image and Voyeurism will be used in further music video as an extreme level to get an exclusive new image for a new artist.

Duresh x