• Pop music is described as ‘commercial popular music’, the term itself derives from the abbreviation of ‘popular’. Pop music borrows elements from other styles like rock, urban and country, and is

targeted at a younger audience.

• Frank Sinatra was among one of the first pop singers, and since the 50’s and 60’s pop music has developed dramatically, going from The Beatles, to One Direction, Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga.

• I will be analysing the costume, hair and make up of one of the most successful and elaborate pop artists of today, with a

reputation for having a quirky and unique physical appearance.

The fierceness of

Katy’s eye makeup

and the way her

eyeliner flicks

upwards, suggests to

the viewer that

Katy is quite feisty

and confident. The

boldness shows that

she herself is a

bold character, and

isn’t afraid to

stand out. It draws

attention to her

eyes, captivating and

pulling us into her,

resulting in being the

main focus of the

picture, despite the

bright colours.

Katy wears bright

pink lipstick, again

suggesting her fun

and quirky

personality, and

how she isn’t afraid

to stand out from

a crowd. To a

viewer, these bold

colours also signify

the type of music

Katy Perry makes,

her make up alone

suggests up beat,

fast commercial pop

music, as we

associate pop with

bright colours,

whereas we know it

wouldn’t be rock,

as we link that with

blacks and crimsons.

Katy’s cheeks are highlighted in order to give

definition to her cheekbones, giving a

structured look suggesting her strong and

fierce character.

Firstly, Katy’s fringe is

cut completely straight

and sharp in the middle

of her forehead,

perhaps showing an

element of seriousness,

but as we move further

down, her hair becomes

bouncy and wavy,

contrasting with her

fringe, as it suggests

fun and a laidback

attitude.

The colour is what

stands out the most, as

purple isn’t thought of

as an ordinary hair

colour, therefore it

shows her confidence,

uniqueness and strong

character, as a hair

colour as bold as that

can be open to a lot

of criticism, as bright

different hair colours

are usually found on

rock artists, and Katy’s

fan base will be pop

music lovers, therefore

they might not take to

the different look.

Her hair again shows her

music as up beat and

commercial, as bright

colours connote with

pop music.

Her hair also has a 50’s look in the way it is cut, but she infuses this

with modern aspects signifying her boldness and creativity, which then is

incorporated in her music.

Perrie from Little Mix and Rihanna (also pop artists) have also been

known to experiment with bright hair colours, showing that pop artists

are usually bold and use elements like their hair to represent their

personalities and music.

Katy wears a very

tight, revealing

outfit, showing

her confidence and

also elements of

sex appeal. The

outfit is again

quite unusual, and

could be open to

criticism, suggesting

her fearlessness

and courageous

personality. Again,

the bright bold

colours relate to

her music, as they

usually express

happiness and joy,

like her songs

‘Last Friday Night’

or ‘Firework.’

Although her outfit

shows her confidence

and a lot of her fans

would admire her for

it, some may not, as

it could come across

as too revealing,

especially as Katy Perry

attracts young fans.

Some parents may

argue that it isn’t

suitable for their

children, and she isn’t

giving off the right

image, or is not a

good role model.

Katy also embraces

quite a vintage look in

her clothes, which is

quite unconventional

in the pop industry.

Through these three area’s we can

explore Katy’s character and sense her

style of music. The bright colours indicate

her confidence, wackiness and the

unconventional sides of her. Although this

can be good to a fan, other people can

respond in a negative way to her boldness,

as some may find her overpowering and

slightly odd, which can put people off.

Overall Katy uses colour in her make up,

hair and costume to signify to a viewer

her pop culture.