Course Review

As the the semester comes to close, I have been asked to reflect back on my experiences in my courses. For this class I think the most valuable part was a lot of the readings on writing technique like how to form an argument, how to respond to sources, how to introduce a thesis, etc. One strategy that has been specifically helpful has been the They Say/ I Say strategy. I now know that I can never just leave a quote or source without my own commentary, because that is what makes my argument and my paper my own and how I add my opinion. I plan on continuing to work on my repetitiveness and making my work more concise.

Reflections on Beyonce as an artist

The moment we were asked to chose an artist in the beginning of the semester, Beyonce Knowles was the first to come to mind. For years, I have admired her not only as an artist but as a person as well. I think she epitomizes class, womanhood, and independence. Not to mention, I am obsessed with all of her albums and tracks. I think she is a one of a kind artist that truly comes around once a generation. After focusing on her this entire semester, this mindset has not changed and in fact, it was strengthened. I also enjoyed researching Beyonce and reading about her history, influences, etc. Not to mention, I would find any excuse to jam out to a Beyonce single! If anything, I have more respect for Knowles as an artist because I learned more about her background, the struggle she had becoming a single artist, and all the influences and messages behind her music. I know understand all the thought and artistry that goes into her songs, album covers, music videos, performances and so much more. I have been able to see just how large her impact on the entertainment industry is and her impact on our culture. My respect for Beyonce Knowles has only increased and I could not have asked for a more enjoyable artist to research this semester.

Remediating

Remediating this album review is a harder task than expected. Since we have such creative leeway with it, it is difficult to find the best medium to express my album and my argument. Originally, I spoke about making a video to capture the dances of Beyonce because that is a topic that is relevant to the artist. However, now I am considering making a split infographic to highlight to two separate sides of Beyonce that she expresses through this album, and how they come together to create the real Beyonce, the figure we see. I want to highlight the dual nature of the album and show all the different aspects that make Beyonce the icon she is. However, it is not planned out or as far along as I hope, so if you are reading this and have suggestions- feel free to comment!

After researching Beyonce

Now that I have spent the past month researching Beyonce and the pop music industry, I think it is safe to say I know all the ins and outs, the marketing techniques, the strategies. As for my next arguments on Beyonce's work, I would have to say her dancing. That is one aspect I have not yet touched on, and how certain songs showcase different dance aspects. For example on her last album "I Am... Sasha Fierce" I did not touch upon the "Single Ladies" dance craze that occurred. Her moves prove that she really is a triple threat which is why she is such a power house celebrity and an icon in pop culture. People look to her for her dance moves, her music, and her acting.
As for the best media to make this argument would most likely be a video combining the different clips of Beyonce busting a movie whether it is in concert or music video. At least for me, Knowles is never fiercer than when she is dancing. I think that would be an interesting topic to explore and one of the only ones that i have not yet!

My central argument

The central argument of my analysis is that our society is so involved and interested in all forms of media, that in order to be a successful artist, singing is not enough. A successful artist in this culture, is rather a popstar that is prevalent in several parts of the entertainment world. For example one of the greatest superstars, Beyonce is a singer, songwriter, actress,  entrepreneur, and fashion designer. To be famous now, means that people must take an interest in you, and the more you appear in the media for various reasons whether it is a commercial or a new album, the more people will know your name and the more recognizable you will be as a star.
This is the most argument of my paper because the question I wanted to answer was: Why is Beyonce, and almost every famous singer, like Miley Cyrus, involved in so many forms of the entertainment industry. I will prove that an artists must present themselves like this by using examples through my paper such as Beyonce, Miley Cyrus, Jennifer Lopez, and Justin Timberlake. Moreover, I will contrast it to other artists such as Vanessa Carlton or Carly Rae Jeapson who only focus on their music and did not branch out- by default they are not as successful or well known by all ages and people as the previous artists.

Methods of Argument

I think it will be most effective to present my evidence in the classical arrangement where I begin with an introduction, background information, my proposition, proof, a refute, and then a conclusion. My driving question is "Why does a musician this day in age have to get involved in various form of artistry to become well known and successful? What factors in our society cause this?". I am using my artist, Beyonce, as an example because not only is she a respected artist, but she also appears in movies, campaigns, TV shows, commercials, etc. Her publicity exists way beyond the barriers of the music scene.

Thus, I think the classical arrangement will be most useful to present my evidence because I can spend a while explaining the background of the concept, and how many famous artists now a days use this approach to gain fame, such as Beyonce of Miley Cyrus. I can then compare it to artists in the past such as Madonna or Cher, who stuck strictly to music. Also, I think it is better to start off with a presentation of an argument and then mention a refute, as compared to the rogerian argument, where the refute comes first. Also, considering this idea is considerably well known and evident among most of our society and culture, I do not think I will find much refute, therefore I think it should be mentioned last.

My chosen topic!

After much deliberation, I have chosen to pursue the topic: In this day in age, in order to be a popular, well-known artist, one must branch out into multiple realms of the media; you must not just be an artist, you must be a celebrity. I will use my artist Beyonce, as an example of this growing phenomenon because she is not only involved in producing music, but she is in movies, has her own perfume line, and appears in multiple campaigns, like Covergirl and Coke-a-Cola. She is ubiquitous.

3 questions I would like to address:
1. Why is there such a need for artists to get involved in so much aspects of fame and publicity to be successful.
2. Does this take away from the artist's music?
3. Compare Beyonce to other artists who have done the same, such as Taylor Swift or JLO, and contrast her to artists who have not done what she has done, such as Pink or Avril Lavigne.

I will look at Beyonce's documentary from last year "Life is but a Dream", to show how she gets involved with many forms of publicity, but still remains very personalized and not commercialized.
Also, I will look at personal interviews with Beyonce or with her publicist to help understand the purpose behind involving Beyonce in all these different forms of publicity.