Throughout her career, Spears has drawn frequent comparisons to
Madonna and Janet Jackson, in terms of vocals, choreography and stage
presence, citing both as influences in her work. She has also named Michael Jackson as a source of inspiration."[129]
According to Spears: "I know when I was younger, I looked up to people... like, you know, Janet Jackson and Madonna. And
they were major inspirations for me. But I also had my own identity and I knew who I was, you know."[130] In the
2002 book Madonnastyle by Carol Clerk, she is quoted saying: "I have been a huge fan of Madonna since I was a little
girl. I would really, really like to be a legend like Madonna ... Her choreography definitely opened the door for girls to go
in there and do their own thing".[131]
Many critics have argued that Spears should not be considered in the
same league of talent as Jackson or Madonna. Journalists Erika Montalvo and Jackie
Sheppard of the Rocky Mountain Collegian observed "[s]ome may argue that Spears
is not only a good recording artist but also an important cultural icon."[132] However, in examining her level of skill as
an artist, it is questioned that "[a]lthough she has been classified among female elites such as Janet Jackson and
Madonna, what does Ms. Spears really have in common with these divas of rock?"[132] Joan Anderman of the Boston Globe
remarked that "[t]hirteen costume changes in 90 minutes won't bless her with Madonna's intelligence or cultural
barometer. An army of cutting-edge R&B producers won't supply her with Janet Jackson's sense of humor or
sincere smile ... Britney's heroes aren't great singers. But they're real singers. Spears sounds robotic, nearly inhuman, on her
records, so processed is her voice by digital pitch-shifters and synthesizers."[133]
Reporter Ed Bumgardner commented her transition from teen pop start to adult sex symbol with her third studio album Britney "takes its cues from two other successful performers—Madonna and Janet Jackson—both of whom she brazenly rips off and both of whom, like Spears, are passable singers, at best."[134] Critic Shane Harrison wrote: "From the minimalist thump and "Nasty" feel of "I'm a Slave 4 U" to the scattered quotes in "Boys," [Britney] feels like [Spears's] attempt at 'Control'."[129] Citing Jackson's resolve to incorporate personal and social issues into her work and Madonna's ability to constantly redefine the boundaries of socially acceptable material in the industry, Spears's catalog ultimately pales in comparison, because "[w]hile Jackson and Madonna wrote their own music about subjects of importance, [Spears's] music sounds like an upbeat version of either, 'I want to grow up but the media won't let me,' or 'Here kitty, kitty, I'm wearing my underwear outside of my leather pants'-type ballads."[132] In contrast, Guy Blackman argues that although "no one would argue that Spears is some kind of pioneering pop auteur, there’s still a lot to like about her back catalogue. During her world-conquering peak, she was just about as cutting edge as you could get in the world of global pop superstardom. Spears didn’t just work with big names, she gave big names their names, and maintained her high currency in the world’s most fickle industry for years, when most aspiring starlets are lucky to manage months."[117]
Madonna's respect for Spears has also been a subject of observation. Santiago Fouz-Hernández and Freya Jarman-Ivens, authors of Madonna's drowned worlds: new approaches to her cultural transformations, 1983-2003 (2004) note that the most well known cross-generational relationship exists between Spears and Madonna in which "the entertainment newsmedia almost became obsessed with their relationship of mutual admiration."[135] The biographers also report "[s]ome observers of popular culture, however, feel that the comparisons between the two artist are meaningless and fail to recognize Madonna's unique contribution: Madonna was never 'just another pop star' whereas Britney can more easily be seen as a standard manufactured pop act."[135]
No comments:
Post a Comment