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CHAPTER IV
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
A. Conclusion
This research aims to answer the question about how are the changing images of
Miley Cyrus represented in her official music videos and what triggers Miley Cyrus
to change her image to stay popular. From the analysis of the music video, the
changing images of Miley Cyrus are delivered clearly, through the depiction elements
of the music videos such as images, narration and lyrics. There are also some
elements such as costume, make-up, lighting, and setting that also support the
representation of the music video. The six music videos from Miley Cyrus entitled, 7
Things, The Climb, When I Look At You, Can’t Be Tamed, We Can’t Stop and
Wrecking Ball are not only giving a brief explanation about Cyrus’s changing images,
but also giving clear explanation about what triggers her to change her images to stay
popular.
From the first music video entitled “7 Things” which was released in 2008, the
narration of the music video, lyrics and song represent that Cyrus is a cheerful and
optimistic girl. The second video entitled “The Climb” which was released in 2009
represents Cyrus as an ordinary country girl and a girl with strong ambition. The third
video entitled “When I Look At You” which was released in 2010 represents Cyrus
as a pure & innocent and dependent young woman. The fourth music video entitled
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“Can’t Be Tamed” which was released in 2010 represents Cyrus as rebellious, sexy
and desiring girl. The fifth video entitled “We Can’t Stop” which was released in
2013 represents Cyrus as racy and druggie girl. Last but not least, the sixth video
entitled “Wrecking Ball” which was released in 2013 represents Cyrus as a girl with
strong sexual liberation and miserable girl. These images are clearly constructed
through the whole narration, including moving images which consist of fashion,
facial expression and body language, lyrics, music, cinematography elements and
mise-en-scene.
From the music videos released in 2008- 2013, it can be seen how Cyrus’ images
are represented in variations of style. In 2008-2010, the images which appeared in the
music videos seem to have similarities and to link to each other. It connects to how
American ideal women have been constructed with well-maintained appearance and
behavior. However, the images appeared in 2013 are showing highly contradictions
toward the previous images. It breaks the previous construction of American ideal
women she brought. Cyrus has changed her images from an innocent country girl into
a racy, druggie and highly sexual liberated girl. She also has changed from a cheerful
and optimistic girl into a miserable girl with drugs and free sex life.
Cyrus’s extreme changing images are done in purpose to maintain popularity.
Besides her personality, there are things triggering her to change her images in more
provoking ways to stay popular, which include the influences of American socio-
cultural condition in 21st century, such as, the rise of American celebrity and young
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generation and the major influences of woman's movements (women's body and
sexuality) in American society. Obviously, these components have signified certain
cultural changing in American society. Besides, the rise of celebrity has signified a
certain cultural shift in American culture through decades which portrays the shifting
of American value and ideology. The traditional American values of individual
freedom and egalitarian society seems to move to be more exaggerated individual
freedom and over-sexualized society. The American society nowadays are saturated
in sexual discourse, pornography and erotica which turn them to be over-sexualized
society. This representation is clearly seen in American celebrities' life; especially
women celebrities. They often to use their sexualized body in media to achieve
popularity which is highly awarded in American society. Celebrity culture has forced
Cyrus to change her images differently and provocatively to attract the media
attention and win the celeb’s competition. It looks like the ideology of conservatism
has moved to liberalism. The American society tend to be more tolerant and open-
minded at any issues appeared in American society, like homosexuality, drug-using
and pre- marital sex (free sex). Moreover, nowadays media and society are thirsty for
something controversial that they are called as hypersexual society. Hence by doing
explicit body in performance, Cyrus leads the way. Besides, Cyrus is an American
young woman. She has wider choices on how to perceive her sexuality and show it to
public as pride. She uses her sexuality in support of getting the attention, winning the
competition and staying popular. She also uses technology and internets (social
media) to keep her profile alive. She is smart and wired girl. She knows how to keep commit to user
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popularity within a different range of time. This could be means that her changing
images through years are accepted and welcomed in American society today. It leads
to a reason that American society today are embracing the notion of postmodern life
which lets them to think relatively and more open-minded towards anything. From
the information above, it can be said that Miley Cyrus’s changing images is not just a
changing images; it is an extreme changing images which were triggered by the
changing values happening in American society within a certain period of time.
B. Recommendation
I gave some recommendation for both English Department students and all
readers in general. It would be useful and interesting to do an American Studies
research focusing on American popular product. It is because American popular
culture products both reflect and construct American society’s beliefs and values. It is
recommended to other researchers to conduct more researches related to American
popular culture products through other media and celebrity representation.
I do hope my research which explains the changing images of Miley Cyrus
represented in her music videos and examines what triggers Cyrus to change her
images to stay popular becomes a reference to the next researcher and expectedly
provide broader information and clear explanation of American youth, American
celebrity and American women in media representation to the readers who love
American studies.
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