Quest for relevance by female celebs is daunting task
It was not unheard of to see fans fall over and nearly die in the presence of Michael Jackson. It was also not too uncommon for fans of Whitney Houston to cross the line between adoration and obsession. Celebrities who go from potential stars to household names are often manipulated and used in a manner that is damaging. And this is a world that many of today’s game changers, local and international, come from.
Take R&B icon Beyoncé, who has amassed fans of all ages, genders and races. In the beginning of her career in the 2000s, the industry was littered with female artists who were often chewed up by the industry and spat out just as quickly. Whether it was Janet Jackson or Britney Spears, even Brenda Fassie on the local front, they all came under immense pressure to adapt to impossible standards.
So, it’s no surprise that at the turn of that decade Beyoncé started taking on a more private approach. Despite the hardships she was facing behind closed doors, the young star began to choreograph her own fame, which coincided with the industry-changing rise of social media.
This impenetrable bubble of non-disclosure agreements and surprise projects created an impenetrable aura for Beyoncé.
The Beyoncé effect, where celebrities who amassed enough attention opted to be distant towards the media, was quickly replicated. This kind of autonomy made it possible to curate how the public perceives them, putting them in the driver’s seat of their careers. It’s something that has played out with the likes of Bonang Matheba. The star’s team only works on projects that benefit her brand and there is very little we get to know about her personal life, other than the dribs and drabs she curates. There is an unattainable nature to her brand, until she makes it possible. Though carrying a much more intimate approach than Beyoncé, who has rarely published an Instagram live post, it is similar in approach.
While this move might protect them from being abused by fans and the media, it also has its shortcomings. One perfect example is the recent diamond debacle Beyoncé was embroiled in. In an attempt to celebrate their announcement of Queen Bey and her husband Jay Z as the faces of their brand, Tiffany & Co, were criticised for celebrating Beyoncé as the first black woman to wear one of their rare diamonds. The backlash was immediate because the diamond, much like precious art pieces from our continent, is a gem earned through a violent racial history. So, being the first black woman to wear it leaves little reason to celebrate.
She may have failed to understand the nuances behind the diamond’s history. Opting to profit from a big pay check without doing the research opens doors to an issue with guarded celebrities.
While blame can easily be shifted to management and marketing for other artists, celebs like Bey and Bonang run the risk of being the ones who get flak for the smallest mishap. A case in point was when Bonang’s autobiography was laden with spelling errors that birthed the term Binglish (Bonang’s own brand of English) and heavy scrutiny of her work.
The industry is still not a safe space for women, yet their need for control becomes a toxic space. A bigger need arises from this predicament that is just as important as the accountability they must often take.
All sides must ensure that the way celebrities are held accountable should not be an unspoken morality clause but a relationship that is conducive to a healthy discourse.