Million Reasons Essay

Analyse how the Million Reasons music video by Lady Gaga uses stereotypes to represent a variety of images of feminine identity:

Apply comparative stereotypes and theory in the development of your arguments

Word count minimum 700

Million Reasons is a contrasting example of a contemporary music video from a world famous, white, female artist. This particular video, from the album Joanne, marks a change in direction for the artist as media producers make use of media language to construct representations that might attract a broader, more mainstream market whilst not alienating the artist’s core fan base.

It lyrically delves on "heartbreak and hope" during a relationship, as well as Gaga's religious faith during the chorus, ultimately making it a song with a positive message.  The music video is a continuation from the music video of 'Perfect Illusion'. Perfect illusion ended with her rolling onto the desert, and here she starts in the same place. These videos are both meant to imply Gaga getting up and carrying on after her hip injury, as she had to carry on with the tour.

         The music video of a Lady Gaga, begins with a high shot of her laying down in the desert, bare faced and looking vulnerable. The figure shows a counter-stereotype to the view that women are always wearing makeup and are never 'fazed' and just carry on with the work. Her facial expression does this by conveying stress and exhaustion as if she was weak and fragile. She is then picked up by many black cars which drag her back to reality. This illustrates the stereotype that women are objects and can be ruled and owned by people. bell hooks, a feminists theorist, says how women are exploited, discriminated against or oppressed due to many factors such as race and class, as well as sex. This is shown in this scene as she is being exploited for work and is being forced at times to carry on making music and making people money. This also links to the context of how Lady Gaga is an activist. bell hooks says that you cannot be a feminist without being an activist, and Gaga is shown to present feminism through her music, which hook would agree with.

When she gets in the Car, her face is covered. This could represent how she's putting on a brave face for the public so her true face is unrecognisable and hidden. The darkness within the shots can portray her emotions and the darkness within. Gaga is also shaking her head in annoyance which could show how she feels defeated and like she's not in control. This connects to how Gaga said in a interview after her breakup with her fiance, "i just want it to stop... its like a train i cant get off". It analyses how she was depressed but is still forced into carrying on. This stereotype of the submissive female who needs people to rule her is shown throughout the video. Another scene that shows this is the makeup chair scenes. As soon as she sits down in the makeup chair, the image turns to black and white.  The black and white conveys that without the colour, her emotions are the only thing that matters, not the colour of the clothes and shoes. Gaga is looking sad with slumped body language. this illustrates the stereotype of women being emotional. The use of images which cross cut between black and white memories from the dressing room, as she receives a gift, and this is contrasted to the pink flamboyant suit that Lady Gaga performs in for the country and western style music video shoot, which links to stereotypical ideas of glamorous femininity, perpetuates stereotypes.

The shots in colour portray a strong women who's unbreakable. It conveys a different side to her life, the side that the media and fans see. it portrays the stereotype that her life is all glam and amazing. It shows how the stereotype of women always being well dressed and pretty is only a side of their life and can be a lot of work.