Research into Chosen Artist - Miss Georgiou

Amy Winehouse is an artist whose work I have enjoyed since a young age beginning with her first album 'Frank', her most well known recognised album 'back to black' and even the album produced in her death 'Lioness: Hidden Treasures'. I've always liked Winehouse's music as her unique tone really stands out and attracts me, as well as it being very clear and easy to understand making it easier to understand her clever lyrics. Winehouse was a much more relatable figure compared to other artists as she didn't attempt to try and mask who she truly and stage a character to front herself with. She was honest, often brutally so and her language was known for being strong and occasionally getting her into trouble but despite that people still love her unique sound and lyrics.

Winehouse wasn't such an admirable soul artist based upon her sound alone but it was also the way the late singer carried herself. As she did following the codes and conventions of the soul genre. Amy often opted through the use of mise en scene to express this soul essence to her character through the use Mise en scene elements hair, make up and costume for instance her iconic 'beehive' and eyeliner. Her unique tattoos also helped Amy to stand out and create a understanding for her, allowing her to make her mark on the soul genre.

Hence my love of Amy encouraged me to look to her when considering trying to find a female artist which I  could easily take on the part of as my group had voted that I should be the artist hence meaning that the artist had to be a female also of a genre which I could realistically lip sync to so to doing a genre such as rap or grim wouldn't work well as it would be hard to find the right micro elements from the genre to apply to me without it appearing unrealistic or funny. I also opted for Winehouse as she was an artist whose lyrics I already had a pre-existing knowledge of and was able to relate to hence this further understanding was helpful as it meant that I would be able to create a music video so to suit it more easily. 

Amy Jade Winehouse was born 14th September 1983 and died 23rd July 2011 sadly of alcohol poisoning during at period at which she was said to have been getting better and overcoming her struggles. Winehouse was both a singer and songwriter meaning that her fans often felt they were being provided with more of Amy within her lyrics than they were with other artists such as Rhianna or Katy Perry who are known for using songs which have been written by somebody else. Winehouse's first album 'Frank' (2003) was a critical success within the UK and was nominated for the Mercury prize. Her second album  'Back to Black' (2006) received five 2008 Grammy awards tying the then record for the most wins by a female artist in a single night and made her the first British female artist to win five Grammy awards. 

Winehouse was signed to a number of record labels one of which being the record label 'Island Records'. Which is a major British record label which operates as a division of Universal Music Group.

Winehouse's first album Frank has sold over one million copies since it's release in the UK her album 'Back to Black' the infamous album which obtains her most famous works including songs such as 'Rehab', 'You know I'm no good' and 'back to black' sold over 3.58 million copies in the UK alone. Winehouse's third and final album released in her death (2007) sold over 2.4 millions copies there was much controversy over whether or not the album should have been released as there was much talk of the fact that this was all music which Amy chose not to release herself. 

'Stronger than me': 

Winehouse's soul hit 'Stronger Than Me' confirms to the soul genre in a variety of different ways.

Including the artists use of Mise en scene although the video was before the artists signature 'beehive' hairstyle she still managed to recreate that 1950s/1960s female soul artist style with her usage of Mise en scene revolving around make up and costume including her big earrings ringing tribute to the genre. The costume applies that same classic female vibe from the genre which reveals a bit of cleavage yet not a lot still keeping that image of classic yet reminding the audience of Winehouse's feminine side. The use of painting Winehouse as a typical artist of the genre even at the very beginning of her career introduces the audience to who Amy is from the very start meaning that she won't have to break into who she wants to be later on in her career like other artists such as Lady Gaga or Justin Bieber. Soul is a genre with fewer conventions compared to other genres such as pop hence the conventions in which the artists may experiment are more confined meaning that it is important for artists of the soul genre to really capture that essence of soul within their work as much as possible. The soul audience aren't looking for anything other than that classic soul vibe hence Winehouse didn't have to worry about  catching the audience awareness before growing into her career as she knew her chosen sector of the audience would grow to her as she was straight away due to her style being so firmly fit to that of the soul genre hence she didn't have to change her image so much throughout her career compared to other artists such as Britney Spears.

Setting (another Mise en scene element) is used throughout the music video so to help Winehouse in conforming to the soul gene, this is done as it is a social environment yet it isn't overly compacted, it has that old school soul vibe hence confiding to the genre with many elements that match that kind of small underground drinking scene which is more about a different period in life, being dark yet well light. Even providing these kind of old school forms of entertainment such as the pool tables in place of people using their mobile phones etc it is a lot more of a social environment going back to that period in time (1950s/1960s) where soul was at it's heat. 

Another way in which the Mise en scene element of setting is conventional towards the social genre is through the concept of the artist displaying relateable locations throughout her music video. For instance the cab scene on the way home from a night out engaging in drinking alcoholic beverages etc partying with friends is a scene which most people would have endured on a number of occasions throughout their lives. As well as the scene where Winehouse house arrives home with her partner only he is too drunk to walk up the steps not only is this concept relateable as at some point in their lives everyone has had to look after someone after consuming too much alcohol but also in that the actual setting is something ordinary people walk past everyday. The use of applying such locations rather than trying to woe her audience with flashy, bright, alien locations to them is that it provides Connotations of Winehouse being a 'down to earth' girl whom they could easily get along with, it also paints the suggestion that she isn't in the industry for fame but for her love of music, this also indicates to the audience that they are able to understand and relate to what Winehouse is singing about urging them to really listen to the lyrics and find their common ground with them. Aiding them further in a more enoyable experience. 

  

Winehouse's theme of relateable conventions is something she continued throughout her work and not just within her music video but also within interviews and promotional shoots thus maintaining this image following Dyers theory that a star isn't a real thing and that they need to keep working on their image so to stay relevant etc. 

Following Goodwin's theory there are various different shots of the artists showcasing her in a rather voyeuristic way for instance there is a close up of the artists cleverage as well as various different close ups of her face in a range of different angles etc. The effect of this urges the audience to view Winehouse as an attractive artist hence urging them to enjoy this side to her. Many of the close ups of Winehouse portray her lip syncing which highlights that not only is she talented but she is also attractive which makes her all the more interesting to the audience as often attractive people are seen as being nothing more than their looks. Expect in the soul genre where the female artists are expected to be great singers with a certain way about them which fans of the soul genre find attractive including the style of hair, make up and the fashion sense required. Showing Winehouse lip syncing is also conventional towards the soul genre as it highlights her performance element to the music video as it shows her singing as enforces the idea that this girl is the one behind the great voice. This demonstrates to the audience conventions of the soul genre as soul artists are expected to be able to put on big performances going back to the periods when the soul genre was first developing and people would go out to watch singers of the soul genre perform.

A narrative is told throughout the music video following on from the lyrics between Winehouse's character an a lover who is portrayed as a drunk whom she is tried of looking after fitting the lyrics "Don't you know you're suppose to be the man" as well as "you should be stronger than me you've been here seven years longer than me" which fits the stereotype of the man being the older one in the relationship hence showing more of Winehouse's struggle. It is conventional towards the soul genre for a music video to employ a narrative as songs of the soul genre are believed to be deeper compared to songs of other genres offering more in terms of lyrical meaning or narratives. This is because soul artists often sing or write about issues which are considered more serious or personal compared with artists of other genres such as pop as said genre is aimed at a different audience who are interested in gaining a different experience from their music whereas artists of the soul genre wish to engage more with the song possibly taking things away with it. Creating a similar relationship to that of someone whom is interested in their literature with the work with one of their favourite writers. 

Iconography which is also an area of Mise en scene is used throughout for instance the use of the alcohol scattered around the location on tables etc. This is conventional towards the soul genre as it was conformed at a time when people were really into going out and socialising whilst drinking and smoking in the kind in the kind of location which is shown within the video hence this piece of iconography follows codes and conventions of the genre. This benefits the music video as it shows codes and conventions which hint towards the genre for the audience highlighting the strong understanding the artist has of the soul genre as well as helping fans of the genre grow faith in Winehouse's dedication towards it comforting them in the fact that she is aiming to do the genre well and isn't just in the soul genre for a money making scheme. Often if fans of a particular genre feel that an artist doesn't deliver or maintain what the genre is really about then they grow strong dislikes towards the artist airing their opinions through various different social media networking platforms, even voicing their views on the comments section under music videos on YouTube etc. Once this material is left for others to read it can be quite damaging to an artists career, as others read these comments and begin to question whether the writer is right, as well as providing the artists image with negative connotations which can be most damaging as once an artist has a negative representation applied to them it is difficult for them to shake this and encourage people that they should listen to them as this view courses audience members to feel that listening to said artist is embarrassing. For instance rapper artist Iggy Azzale at the beginning of her career had a fairly respectable reputation however she soon become the but end of jokes on social media platforms particularly Vine and Twitter meaning naturally making her become a laugh stocking leading to people not wanting to admit that they listen to her music or moving on to other artists and they took these views on and decided that their was better artists they could be listening to.  

Winehouse's character is portrayed to obtain the kind of attitude expected from that of an artist of the soul genre for instance in the car scene where she is shown passionately singing the lyrics to the drunk man next to her with an attitude really aiming the lyrics towards him with a passion highlighting that the song is about him and enforcing how frustrated she is by him. Female soul artists are expected to have this type of attitude as soul is thought to be a very powerful, strong genre hence it is believed that the beholders of soul  music obtain a matching attitude. Hence being conventional towards the soul genre as she is maintaining the kind of attitude which provides codes and conventions towards the genre. 

From the off set of the music video continuity editing (editing technique) is used, this ensures that the audience is able to focus on the main narrative behind the music video preventing them from becoming confused. Securing the audiences understanding and interest from the very beginning of the music video is important as this sets the tone for the rest of the video. If the audience was to feel bored at uninterested by the music video at the very start then they would be unlikely to wish to carry on and may begin to think about other things or even move on to a different task entirely.  It also allows the audience to feel as though this is really happening and they are there watching thus allowing the audience to engage with the narrative more as it becomes more realistic to them and therefore becoming more relatable as they notice things they may have witnessed throughout their lives either within their own or someone around them which they can put to both the music video and the lyrics. Which forms a deeper connection as the artists work becomes more personal to them meaning that they are more likely to enjoy it and promote it to friends and family who may be fans of other genres meaning that the artist will be able to branch out and reach more ground covering audience members from different genres. 

Medium paced editing (apart of the editing used within the music video) is also used because of this the concept of the music video is made to feel more normal to the audience regardless of what it is hence making them feel more comfortable or at ease with it.  Which is conventional towards the soul genre as soul artists are known to sing about situations, events or issues which are relatable as the genre is about helping and encouraging people in their way in life. This is beneficial to Winehouse and it inhabits the relatable image she created around herself resulting in her audience feeling as though they would be able to involve themselves in a conversation with the artist. This aspect of the artist hints for the audience to feel as though if they knew Winehouse she would be someone they could easily become friends with her the positive effect on the artist for this is that because the audience feel more kindly towards the artist and feel as though they like her they are more likely to hope for her success which makes them more likely to purchase her music. 

A reaction shot which is an area of cinematography is shown of Winehouse as her character is represented as being repulsed by her partner as he leans in closer towards her whilst he is shown to be annoying her both through the use of body positioning (Mise en scene), the characters actions, the lyrics and of course Winehouse's facial expressions including the one demonstrated with her reaction shot. 

This is another element to her video which benefits the artist as again it provides a sense of realness to Winehouse's narrative her music video is following. Thus engaging the audience with the experience further as they are more able to picture such a scenario in a real life setting therefore gaining further interest as they learn how the scenario pans out. This technique also sheds light upon Winehouse's lyrics as the audience are now faced with an image to put to them which highlights that this isn't something the character within the music video has just made up or exaggerated but it's a real struggle for her, one that the audience is able to view and decide for themselves the depths of it. Naturally developing a better understanding for the characters struggle engages the audience with the song and helps the audience to take away the messages with it that Winehouse attempts to project. Plus being able to view actions of themselves and gaining better understandings of them also aids the audience in their ability to relate to the lyrics deepening both the bond the audience grows with the artist and with the single itself. Hence being conventional towards the soul genre as soul artists are recgonised for singing about subjects which matter to them and are often quite personal thus Winehouse sharing this struggle with her audience and providing them with further illustrations inviting them to understand it allows them to feel the sense of Winehouse fitting to the conventions of the soul genre attempting to encourage her audience to share a journey of sorts with her. 

Cinematography is again demonstrated through the use of panning shots which are used throughout the music video particularly in the bar scene where the camera follows Winehouse as she moves around the bar performing and engaging in the narrative involving her and her counter part. This is another element to the music video which is conventional due to the fact that it becomes more relatable as it allows the audience to feel as though they are really there in the scene  watching as the events take place. Audience members begin to feel as though they are really there at the bar people watching where they have noticed a scenario which is worth focusing upon. Winehouse moving around and not just staying on the spot not only makes the scene more realistic as it would appear much too staged if she was to simply stand on the spot. As well as further suggesting for the audience to watch Winehouse in a Voyuerstic manner as she walks she is almost posing showing off her figure. This has the effect of urging female especially young and impressionable female audience members to look up to the artist and she is able to achieve so more and obtain so much talent yet she still focuses upon her appearance and displays herself in an appealing fashion. Male audience members are also meant to feel more warmly towards the artist due to this as they are made to feel a connection with her as a result of this effect. 

Richard Dyer created a theory concluding that Stars (celebrities such as Winehouse herself) are commodities produced and consumed on the strength of their meaning. Stating that the term 'star' refers to the semi- mythological set of meanings constructed around music performers in order to sell the performer to a large and loyal audience. Some of the common values of stardom including youthfulness, rebellion, sexual magnetism, talent and creativity, relation to drugs, sex, alcohol and bad behavior. All elements of which Winehouse was constructed to both through her work and her personal life which often found it's way onto the front pages of tabloids and various other media outlets providing news and information on 'stars'. Hence creating this image around Winehouse wich Dyer's theory follows. Throughout 'Stronger Than Me' Winehouse is seen drinking but not only is she shown drinking but so is her a partner and it is suggested that various people around them are also intoxicated as there are scenes shot in a bar with alcoholic beverages decorating the location highlighting the situation Winehouse is in. 

Not only does the use of alcohol help to prove Dyer's theory but it is also conventional towards the genre of soul as the genre was captured in a time when drinking was an even larger part of day to day lives than it was now. Like smoking in the 50s/60s people were less aware of the damages said pastimes could course of ones health hence people were engaging in such activity more often even throughout the day think of the stereotypical image of a salesman portray throughout the era. As the genre hasn't changed or developed much since it originated it is conventional for Winehouse to display such elements within her music video as they link in with the genre hence creating that classic soul vibe. 

Winehouse follows codes and conventions towards the soul genre throughout her work not just in the beginning of her career, as shown in her music video 'Back To Black':

By this time in Winehouse's career she was wearing her trademark 'beehive' hairstyle which is conventional towards  the soul genre as it follows that kind of bigger hair style you would expect from a soul artist. As well as following her usual soul Mise en scene trademarks such as her chosen style of make up and costume. 

The entire video is covered in a  black and white filter which is conventional towards the soul genre as something being filmed in black and white often provide codes and conventions of the audience shown something from the past due to the fact that in previous times we weren't able to film in colour.       This is conventional because soul hasn't adapted much as a genre from the time where it first began hence the idea of the video reminding the audience of going back in time suits the soul genre. The concept of the music video also all being filmed in black and white ties in with the lyrics; "he left no time to be grey" this juxtaposition highlights the importance to the audience of paying attention to Winehouse's lyrics keeping them more interested and aiding them to enjoy there experience of her music further as they understand the importance of her lyrics to her work.

Iconography (Mise en scene) is used throughout so to nod towards the soul genre for instance the use of trumpets being held by the men standing around before attending the funeral. This follows codes and conventions of the soul genre as the genre is known for it's big high quality performances aided by live music from a live grand band. A trumpet being an instrument which is often recognised with the soul genre hence it is more relevant than people walking around with a triangle or having drum sets scattered around throughout the music video. 

Again throughout this video a voyeuristic approach is used to represent Winehouse involving again a number of different close ups (cinematography) as well as her costume (Mise en scene) on a few instances her bra is showing. The concept of revealing her bra provides sexual connotations as underwear/lingerie is thought to be rather provocative as the idea of it showing suggests that a large amount of someones screen is showing or that they aren't very covered up etc. Hence the artist choosing to display herself in this way suggests certain things to the audience making them particularly heterosexual male members find themselves feeling more attracted to Amy. This helps the artist as they may feel a closer bond with her as they grow certain feelings towards her as well as helping them to remember her and keeping her relevant in their minds as they had stronger thoughts towards her than they would have previously. 

The idea of Winehouse dressing and presenting herself in this manner through the use of Mise en scene throughout her music video is also conventional towards her chosen genre of soul. Due to the link between female soul artists dressing in a mirroring way to women in the 1950's to 1960's as a result of the genres origins growing from said period in America. At this time it is believed that women tried a lot harder to impress men as during this time they were still the bread winners and although more women were working they were usually still relaying on a man for the most amount. Therefore women of the period were more likely to dress in this way so to attract male attention. Although to a modern viewer it may appear that Winehouse isn't in fact revealing all that much sure the audience is able to view glimpses of her bra but nothing else is revealed comparing Winehouse's revealing states to other artists such as Iggy Azale who has displayed her boobs with nothing covering them expect nipple covers that Winehouse is in reality rather covered up compared to what she could be Winehouse isn't dressing for what is provocative now but for what was in the 1950s-1960s which again follows codes and conventions of the genre as if she was to dress in a more revealing fashion such as Beyonce it wouldn't suit the theme as it would have been shocking and socially unacceptable for a woman to dress this way throughout the period therefore being subversive towards the soul genre. 

Iconography (Mise en scene) is also used throughout so to help the artist set her music video to that 1950-1960s vibe that follows soul. From the very beginning with the opening shot the furniture used within the living room particularly the sofa and armchair match what the audience would have expected to see within a house of said time. As well as other pieces of furniture matching the expected interior of the period for example the lampshade, tea set and the carpet. This is beneficial to both the artist and the audience as it helps to create the desired atmosphere making the vibes created about the music video more realistic aiding the audience in receiving a truer reflection of the period making the music video more true to it therefore making it a more enjoyable viewing. If there was things wrong with the music video which didn't quite suit up with what the audience was expecting to see matching the period then it would likely ruin the experience and therefore the entire effect of the music video disturbing the audience from enjoying themselves. This would not only result in the audience growing less found of the artist as they don't find their work to be as effective or as true to the genre however it would also ruin the artists credibility factor where there work is concerned as if an artist who is portraying themselves as being someone who is good enough to involve themselves in performances paying tribute to the genre yet audience members whom aren't professionals are able to pick up on elements of the video which aren't doing the genre justice? It doesn't bold well for the artist and could even make them appear to be a fraud suggesting to the audience that the artist is only in it for the money not for the love of their chosen genre which could result in the audience actively disliking the artist. A few negative tweets or other mentions on different social media forms can result in the artist building a very negative perception around themselves where people don't want to share their enjoyment for the artists work, other artists don't want to associate with them either in work or social activities ultimately destroying their career or at least damaging it and having a knocking effect on their sales.  

Another of the many codes and conventions towards the soul genre Winehouse has followed throughout the duration of her 'Back To Black' music video be the use of setting (Mise en scene). All of the setting and locations used are relateable, it would be hard to get much more relateable than a funeral as death is a natural part of life, being the outcome of all of our lives and something that we will all have to deal with at times in our lives hence following that area of the soul genre. This is conventional towards the genre as soul artists are thought to sing more about deeper issues and struggles throughout their lives which others are able to relate to where as songs of other genres such as pop or dance or thought of as being just music to create a happy atmosphere to where as soul like the indie genre is thought of being a lot more than just background noise, as there is thought to be real meaning behind the lyrics whether that be in a narrative or simply just the lyrics themselves being rather deep and providing meaning perhaps certain messages which the artist wants to bring across to their audience, as well as the music itself being thought of as being of a higher quality and the music video being thought to have had a deeper thought process being put into it, being a lot more artistic compared to pop or dance genre music videos which are thought to usually be mainly performance based without much of a narrative or underlying meaning mainly just showing off the artists performance skills as they attempt to perform various different dance routines. An artist of the soul genre wouldn't use outrageous or different locations for their music videos such as a spaceship like Michael and Janet Jackson as it would take away from the feel of the soul genre as well as it not suiting the lyrics themselves. 

There is little performance without the music video as the only performance the audience is displayed is that of the artist lip syncing there is no dance routines showcased throughout the music video as it is of a much more serious fashion. Which is conventional towards the soul genre as it is thought to be much more serious for reasons as I stated in the above paragraph the soul genre is thought to obtain a much stronger relationship with its audience as they are thought to feel a lot more for it as it evoked a much stronger part of them due to the content of the lyrics etc. However the lack of performance throughout the music video is subverisve towards the soul genre as soul artists are still recognised with the big/flashy performances soul artists put on when the genre found it's origin. Involving big stages, large crowds, spotlights and often the mise en scene iconography of large velvet red curtains. Hence the loss of this big performance type base to the music video is noticed as it is something which would be expected of the singer however she makes up for it through her use of iconography and other elements fitting codes and conventions towards the genre. Plus it ties in with her narrative making it more effective as if she was to be seen dancing around performing which applies connotations of being happy it would appear strange, possibly disrespectful or inappropriate for someone who is supposed to be grieving.  

As you can see my chosen artist was a very talented musician who was able to bring across her admiration for the soul genre in more ways than just the tune of her music, tone of her voice or lyrical content. Winehouse had studied the soul genre to its square inch and was well aware of how it worked and which elements she would be able to take from the genre and adopt to her advantage so to showcase this side to her and impress her audience by showcasing her talents therefore being able to keep them interested in her work allowing her to carry on with her love. One of the first things the audience notices about artists of the soul genre is there use of Mise en scene as it is something which people are naturally trained to look for through everyday society as we are taught that what we wear and how we present ourselves tells people a bit about us. 

Winehouse displays slow paced editing throughout her music video something an element to the videos editing which is most noted and effective when the audience is shown mid shots and close ups (cinematography) of the artist walking in front of a funeral car walking towards the deceases burial. This is effective as it benefits the narrative of the music video providing that essence of sorrow formed at the loss of a loved one. Urging the audience to feel those kinds of emotions and engage with the narrative hence finding Winehouse's work more relateable meaning that they are able to form a connection with it on a deeper level aiding them in discovering a better experience with Winehouse's work. Said concept being conventional towards the genre of soul as it is all about the artist encouraging the audience to connect with them on a deeper level compared with other lyrics via providing them with personal information or stories. 

As I am going to be the artist within my music video I have already thought in great depth about how I am going to use the element of mise en scene to my advantage so to make a clear cut from my chosen genre of soul with any other genre within the music industry. Analysing Amy some of the first things people noticed about her appearance was her signature 'beehive' hairstyle. This was a style I considered adopting for my music video however I decided it wouldn't quite suit me and would almost come off as quite humors taking away from the soul effect we would be trying to create with the music video and almost appear to be a comedy or purely a failed attempt at trying to suit to the genre. However that doesn't mean that I wouldn't be able to take on a hairstyle from the genre at all as I have being looking at looks from other artists from the genre such as Duffy would I may be able to use for hair inspiration as she has similar hair to my own hence I would be able to recreate something similar to her without fairly it may look ridiculous. 

Like Winehouse I aim to use Relate-able settings and locations for the same reasons of it suiting the soul genre and providing the same effect for the audience. As well as applying similar uses of Mise en scene regarding my hair, make up and costume as it is a fast working and effective way to ensure my audience are aware of the genre my artist belongs to. For-filling the desires of my chosen target audience ensuring that they are comfortable with my work and enjoying it.