When we talk about pop culture, trend among peers might be the first thing come to mind for there is no restricted field. The statement, however, proved that in fact trend is the restriction within the range. Anyway, it is called as pop culture because it is massively liked, isn’t it?

It has, therefore, created its own icons, which apparently have to be those good-looking mainstream artists. One to be noted first is perhaps Britney Spears. She provoked controversy when she_revolutionary_changed her image from a teen school girl to a sexy-nearly-vulgar woman (Compare her performance on “Baby One More Time” and “Slave for You”).

Regardless of the condemnations, her fellow-female singers seemed to somewhat picture her as a trend setter. Several, if not many, followed her marketing strategy with most used similar basis to justify themselves: they had grown up, and they wanted to show the real person they always were. Some stated it explicitly, like Christina Aguilera (watch her performance on “Reflection” and “Dirrty”), and some rather saved the nice image she carried while exposing most of her body, like Beyonce Knowles (compare “Independent Woman” and “Baby Boy”) or Christina Milian (”AM to PM” and “Dip It Low”). What is hilarious is that the tendency is not only adapted by those of early twenties, but their predecessors as well; Mariah Carey (note the difference between “Without You” and “Loverboy”) and Kylie Minogue (”I Should be So Lucky” and “Can’t Get You Out of My Head”) are on the list.

If any, the most observable fact of the self-transformation seems to lay on their nakedness. It never increases their vocal quality (for they even sing less). But their business range is overlapped from singing and dancing to acting and modeling, which in turn increases their fame. Losing some fans (those who fancied their old image) to gain more is the purpose. Those who had been unheard for some time might want to try to push back their popularity using this. Remember Janet Jackson’s nipplegate before her album “Damita Joe” was released.

Naturally we cannot desert the other edge of the issue. To picture the world view, female singers today seem to have been polarized to be pro and anti Britney style. Among the opposition, Avril is maybe the most outstanding figure; followed by others like Fefe Dobson, Ashlee Simpson, and those teen girls who claim themselves to be alternative rock musicians and refused to let their clothes slipped off of their body. Being so young, fresh, and ideological, they probably deserve a high five for standing on what they believe in. But it does not help the situation, does it? We surely cannot miss the similarity between Ashlee’s “Pieces of Me” to Avril’s “Complicated”. As a matter of fact, it is means of creating a trend-setter on another genre. There is nothing wrong for being trend setter of course; but these latter girls, whether they realize or not, wear their uniform. It is different from Britney’s, but what can be not identical on uniforms? In short, in ceasing to be homogenous, they cannot escape their own monotonicity. Oh well, at least they tried.

This has been originally posted here on January 11, 2005