Now Annie Lennox joins row over stars putting porn in pop
THEIR sexually- explicit music videos have already attracted widespread criticism. Now Annie Lennox has added her voice to protests about highly provocative material by the likes of Miley Cyrus and Rihanna.
Attacking ‘ highly styled pornography’ in the music industry, the Scottish singer said she was ‘disturbed and dismayed’ by the trend.
The former Eurythmics star attacked record companies for bombarding young girls with ‘sexualised imagery’ for profit.
Although she did not name any performers, it is believed she was responding to images of 20-yearold Miss Cyrus simulating a sex act in her latest photoshoot and a video in which Rihanna, 25, writhes about i n water and touches herself provocatively while a stripper gyrates in the background.
In a Facebook post, Miss Lennox, 58, from Aberdeen, said: ‘I have to say that I’m disturbed and dismayed by the recent spate of overtly sexualised performances and videos. You know the ones I’m talking about.
‘It seems obvious that certain record companies are peddling highly styled pornography with musical accompaniment.
‘As if the tidal wave of sexualised imagery wasn’t already bombarding impressionable young girls enough.’
Last week, former Disney star Miss Cyrus was criticised by singer Sinead O’Connor for allowing herself to be ‘prostituted’ by the music industry.
In her latest music video, she provocatively licks a sledgehammer and swings naked on a wrecking ball.
Earlier this year, she shocked fans at the MTV awards by stripping to a gold bikini and waving her bottom in the face of Robin Thicke during a performance of his hit single Blurred Lines.
The video for Rihanna’s latest song Pour It Up – which shows her gyrating on a chair in a jewel encrusted bikini – sparked further outrage last week.
Campaigners called for YouTube to ban the video, which has already been viewed more than 23million times since its release on Wednesday.
Miss Lennox, who was awarded an OBE in 2011 for her ‘tireless charity campaigns and championing of humanitarian causes’ said: ‘I believe in freedom of speech and expression, but the market forces don’t give a toss about the notion of boundaries.
‘As long as there’s booty to make money out of, it will be bought and sold. It’s depressing to see how these performers are so eager to push this new level of low. Their assumption seems to be that misogyny utilised and displayed through oneself is totally fine, as long as you are the one creating it.’
Earlier this year, Miss Lennox – who during the 80s famously performed in a red bra – attacked the cult of ‘horrible reality shows with their stupid row of judges’ and said the music business was ‘deeply entrenched in branding’.
Peter McKay – Page 17