In The Exile of Britney Spears Smit analyses and interrogates the product of Britney Spears; interrogates us, the consumers, in our role of creating and perpetuating the product of Britney Spears.
Spears’ text is mediated to consumers, and her image is carefully constructed; it is not by chance or accident that we read her the way we do—as a body, as sex, as the juxtaposition and mystery of innocence and sexual accessibility.
In deconstructing the image of Britney—what we have of Britney is purely image—Smit first takes a look at her origins; her roots in the Baptist religious tradition—her participation in Star Search. What we know of Britney, of any Star, influences the way we read her image. The fact that she is from the Baptist church, that she began her career singing hymns draws the consumer in; “if she came from such a faith, then why do we read her the way we do now? As sex, as a pure body product?”
Singing hymns in churches and various stages and venues gave Brit a sense of entitlement; a purpose, she is God’s child, blessed with a talent and therefore she is entitled to sing, to be the focus of attention; to be the star. Perhaps this was her beginning in seeing herself as a tool to be used; but I think Britney felt that it was her right, and it was her choice—I’m not sure if it really was.
Britney is also from the south; but the way her southerness was initially portrayed was as a cutsey belle—that all-american girl-next-door, but when we see her in a southern context it makes the consumer uncomfortable; it is vulgar and hokey, it is classless. She becomes kitsch instead of cute. The south could have been her salvation, her home, but she never quite made it.
With the hot breath of her mother on her neck, telling Britney she was “special” meant for Great things, Britney finally got on the Mickey Mouse Club. She was the All-American girl-next-door; she was a girl that girls across America could relate to. She was accessible to young American girls. When the Mickey Mouse Club was cancelled and she released her first record as Britney Spears, everything changed.
With “Hit Me Baby” Britney became Britney Spears the production, the product.
The music video for the single “Hit Me Baby” created a juxtaposition of adolescent sexuality and sweetness. Bare midriff juxtaposed with fully covered legs, and more conservative tops, creates availability and a denial or refusal. With this music video Britney expands her fan base to include the male gender. By wearing the catholic school girl outfit, albeit a very sexy one, Britney embodies or brings to life an age-old fetish.
The uniform also speaks of white middle-class society; placing Britney in a carefully constructed space. One of allure, mystery, invitation and as ultimately unattainable.
Spears becomes a currency; she is recognizeable, as celebrity, but at the same time a cruel and violent misrecognition; of being recognized incorrectly. This misrecognition causes a violence, a loss of power to the person, stuck within context without the ability to self-actualize. What consumers recognized was Britney the product, the image, not Britney the person. She makes money for herself, and for the people she surrounds herself with.
Queries
1. Did Britney have a choice?
2. What sort of text would Britney have if she did not come from a Religious background?
Do we read stars like Miley Cyrus, or Katy Perry differently than we read Britney Spears? In what way? All of southern origins, religious background {especially Perry}...
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