R S www.irss.academyirmbr.com April 2021 S International Review of Social Sciences Vol. 9 Issue.4 I Comparing Discourses of Pakistani Male and Female Pop Music CD Covers: A Multimodal Analysis RIMSHA IFTIKHAR Visiting Lecturer, Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University, Multan, Pakistan. AQSA IRAM SHAHZADI Assistant Professor, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan. SARWAT JABEEN Assistant Professor, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan. Email: [email protected] Abstract The present study is an attempt to explore the main features of the discourses of Male and Female Pakistani Pop Music CD covers over the years. The main purpose of this research is to investigate what topics have been the subject of these CD covers and what linguistic and semiotic choices have been used to communicate the issue ideologically. Therefore, CD covers are analysed as an investigative tool to interpret meaning from the images imprinted on them. This study uses qualitative approach to identify the visual and linguistic choices. Machin (2007, 2010) and Fairclough (2003) models have been used for the visual and linguistic analyses of the CD Covers. In CD covers, all the levels of analysis are actually the instruments through which the ideology investment in the semiotic and linguistic signs is studied. Findings of this study show that both male and female singer use multimodality for the self projection and marketing, prominence is given to their own portrayal on the cover to gain and maintain the iconic position in Pakistani Pop music industry. Keywords: Media Discourse, CD Covers, Semiotics, Pop Music, Ideologies, Gender. Introduction The importance of media discourse in the present age is absolutely inevitable for all kind of information and it has almost become the main source of understanding the world (Talbot, 2007). Garett and Bell (1998) explained that "the media have long been a focus amongst those working with language and communication, as well as others working within the broader field of media studies therefore multimodality is a term widely discussed by linguists and semioticians and media experts. It means the combination of different semiotic modes for example, language and music in a communicative artifact or event (Van Leeuwen, 2005). Multimodality is also associated with the text- specific meaning that helps in making the semiotic resources deployed and co-contextualized meaning (Baldry & Thibault, 2006). The era in which we are living in is visual culture, where semiotic resources are not just used to illustrate; rather, they are concerned with socially and culturally constructed meaning. Lim (2004, P.52) says „we live in a multimodal society, which creates meaning through the co-operation of semiotic resources‟. The visuals on the CD cover are the amalgam of artwork, graphic designing, song list and singers photo that reflect or present the content inside the CD cover. So this cover art plays an important part in branding the music of the singers and also important for commercial purpose. According to Walser (1993) the interpretation of music genre brings forth the characteristics of shared music with the audiences. ISSN 2309-0081 Iftekhar, Shahzadi & Jabeen (2021) 211 R S www.irss.academyirmbr.com April 2021 S International Review of Social Sciences Vol. 9 Issue.4 I Literature Review From the ancient times, music has always played an integral part in the life of human beings. Music is also referred as a universal language through which emotions are triggered and particular cultures are identified. Kress and Leeuwen (1996) use the term multimodality to express that communication and representation is not done only by single mode of communication that is language, instead one can communicate through number of modes that is by the combination of visual, sound and language. Multimodality has so much in common with traditional approaches to semiotics that „all social systems are social semiotic systems‟ (Machin, 2007:3).„The term multimodality, as used here, is a technical one getting to highlight that the meaning work we do in the least times exploits various semiotics‟ (Iedema, 2003:39). By integrating of these aspects of meaning-making, multimodality is meant to supply how of studying how body movement and talk co-occur (Martinec, 2001), how language and image cooperate with each other (Kress and Leeuwen 1996, 1998; Eggins and Iedema 1997), and how image, language and sound are harmonized (Iedema 2000; Thibault 2000). Therefore, multimodal approach makes it possible to depict a conventional representation or practice in all its semiotic complexity and richness without putting a privilege on any one semiotic over another. The image created for use on an albums cover is critical in its commercial success. Lyndon and Simon (2017) much of music‟s power lies in its use as multimodal communication. This research is done to study the discourses of CD covers of Pakistani leading pop stars to as no substantial work is done in this area. Research Questions This research focuses on answering to the following questions, 1. What semiotic and linguistic signs have been used by the singers in their albums? 2. What Ideologies are represented through semiotic choices in the CD covers? 3. What are the differences in male and female singers‟ discourses? Objectives for Undertaking this Project This research is done to study the discourses of CD covers as no substantial work is done in this area. We all love music and buy CDs to listen to our favourite singers therefore it is absolutely necessary to investigate the meanings of visual and linguistic choices made by the singers to sell their products. In order to unveil the hidden meaning and ideologies, the texts are analyzed at different levels. The MCDA of the covers reveals how symbols play crucial role in communication and are deployed to gain desired results. Research Methodology A qualitative approach is followed for in-depth multimodal analysis of the visual and linguistic texts for the proper understanding of the content. The emphasis of qualitative research is to explore the themes that emerge out of literature, which is combined into a multimodal approach. Ragin (1994) argued that smaller sample size helps to evaluate the hidden meaning and to unveil the reality behind social constructionism. Sampling Technique The sampling technique which is used in the present study is non-probability. Purposive sampling is done as the researchers have chosen samples as representatives of both genders out of many males and females singers in Pakistani pop music industry. The album covers with their various semiotic resources were selected on the basis of researchers owns judgment. This sampling procedure is selected particularly because of its accessibility. The sample size included six CD covers that are encompassed with various semiotic resources and are enriched with abstract ideas. ISSN 2309-0081 Iftekhar, Shahzadi & Jabeen (2021) 212 R S www.irss.academyirmbr.com April 2021 S International Review of Social Sciences Vol. 9 Issue.4 I Selection of Data for Analysis This study is restricted to only one genre of music and that is pop music. As it is a vast field but the researchers have selected only the CD covers of one male and female Pakistani Pop singers as representatives of both genders in pop music industry. Details of each singer are given below; a) Hadiqa Kiani The biggest pop sensation in Pakistani Pop Music industry is Haiqa Kiani. She has gained huge impact on Pop music industry in a very short time. By considering the importance of music in Pakistan, Hadiqa Kiani has used unique musical instruments to gain popularity among her fans. The details of renowned albums are given below Album Name Releasing Year Raaz 1995 Roshini 1998 Rung 2002 b) Atif Aslam Atif Aslam is a super entertainer from Pakistan, promising to take the Asian Rock and Blues market by storm with his super hit albums. He is the one who helped fuel the Pakistani Pop explosion. The details of Atif Aslam renowned albums are given below Album Name Releasing Year Jal pari 2004 Doorie 2006 Meri Kahani 2008 Data Collection In this research, data is collected through various Music stores and some covers are collected through Internet. The CD covers of two famous Pakistani male and female singers are chosen for multimodal discourse analysis. The singers are chosen for research mainly for two reasons; first their immense popularity in the public second their CD covers is enriched with visual or semiotic resources. Reasons for Data Collection Due to following reasons these singers are selected for this study 1. Maximum followers. 2. Very popular among the people. 3- Frequent release of the albums Frameworks for the Present Study The framework for the present study is encompassed with two models. The first model that is used for the analysis of CD covers is Machin (2007, 2010) multimodal analysis and the second model is Fairclough (2003) linguistic analysis. Both models are used to decode the complex semiotic system of CD covers to interpret the semiotic and linguistic modes in the CD cover. ISSN 2309-0081 Iftekhar, Shahzadi & Jabeen (2021) 213 R S www.irss.academyirmbr.com April 2021 S International Review of Social Sciences Vol. 9 Issue.4 I Model for Semiotic Analysis For the in depth semiotic analysis of selected CD covers, Machin‟s (2007, 2010) framework is used that provides useful tools to analyse the images. Every object represents something as nothing is neutral and has particular connotation and denotation as well. In visual semiotics, every object carries connotation and have metaphorical association and also represents something because objects are not neutral. For that purpose Machin‟s (2007, 2010) framework is used to unveil the hidden implications. On the basis of Machin‟s (2007, 2010) model, every CD cover is analysed by using specific lens that helps in identifying the semiotic modes in every image.