Demi Lovato - Representations

Demi Lovato is a singer, actress and philanthropist whose career originated from starring in multiple Disney tv shows and movies. Her career has spanned over a decade and she has been represented in many different ways in different texts including music videos, magazines, photoshoots, documentaries and albums.

"Tell Me You Love Me" album cover - 2017

This image is the cover art of Demi's sixth studio album, "Tell Me You Love Me". The cover is consists of a black and white close up image of the singer with a black border and simplistic copy detailing the name of the album and the artist. The image, as mentioned, is a very closeup shot. This represents venerability and suggests the albums content is going to be raw and real. The image is in black and white which symbolises purity despite the image being predominately dark. It also represents elegance and maturity and gives the image a sense of dramatisation and air of sophistication. Furthermore, in the image, Demi is wearing little to no makeup and her glowing, freckly skin is very prominent. In addition to this, Demi's hands are on her head, scraping back her hair away from her face. This also adds to the factor of vulnerability on the cover and enables the reader to relate to the product on a personal level. The singer is also looking directly in to the camera as if she is singling out whoever is looking. This definitely coincides with the title of the album, "Tell Me You Love Me", as she is directing the demand with her gaze.

The encoders, being the Photographer, Dennis Leupold, the Art Director, Kyledidthis and, I presume, Demi herself have used all of the above features to make Demi seem like a vulnerable, yet confident in her own skin woman who is willing to share personal aspects of her life in her art. The raw, un-retouched aspect of the cover entices the audience as it suggests that the album may not simply be generic pop/R&B, but will have depth, meaning and passion from Demi.

An individual taking the preferred reading of this text would most probably listen to the album with hopes and expectations of it being a collection of real music which has come from the heart of the artist.

"Complex" magazine cover - 2015

This image is the cover of the October/November edition of Complex Magazine in 2015. The cover consists of Demi Lovato sitting on a giant inflatable banana with an flashy blue background. The copy on the page is very simplistic and minimal with the name of the publication at the top of the page and Lovato's name on the bottom in smaller font. The image is a long shot with Demi's full body included. The singer is wearing only high heels and underwear, with her arms covering her breasts. This signifies sexiness and provocativeness. Demi's face is also in a shocked expression also adding to to the 'naughty' vibe of the shoot. The large banana also has explicit connotations of sex. Lovato's hair style, to me, shows similarities to those of the 1950s era. If this was intentional, this cover could represent how women were treated and thought of as sex objects in that era and how now woman are taking control of their bodies and sexualising themselves in their own way, on their own accord.

The encoders of this magazine cover have represented Demi as a young sexual object to which men, and women, should desire. The representation brings out another side to Demi as it shows her more provocative side as apposed to her Disney, teen reputation. The fact that Demi is fully exposed in the shows that she is confident in her body and image, despite struggling with body dysmorphia and eating disorders in the past. If readers were to read the interview as well as look at this image, then, knowing of Demi's past struggles , they would associate the shoot with her being a strong, confident and powerful women who has taken control of her demons and is secure and happy in her body.

If you were to take the preferred reading of this text, then it would persuade you to see Demi as a desirable sex object and also buy the magazine in anticipation of more of the same inside.

"People" magazine cover - 2009

This image is the cover of People magazine in July 2009. The magazine features Demi alongside Selena Gomez, a fellow ex-Disney star. The audience for this edition of the publication would have definitely been aimed at teenager girls or young adults and it content displayed on the cover fits that specification very well. The cover is set on a bright blue background - conveniently similar to that of Demi's complex shoot - but this time represent a bright, airy and fresh style. The pair are both wearing bright clothes which contributes to the youthful tone. The cover has lots of sections with the main image being of the pair interlocking arms and smiling widely. This image shows that Demi as a youthful teenager having fun with her friend. Also, there is an image of Demi with a dog and the caption "Meet Their [Demi and Selena's] Dogs". This, again represents Demi as a regular teenage girl which would be very relatable to the target audience. The tag lines which appear on the magazine are very innocent and muted compared to the previous covers. "Family, Fun and Being BFFS", is a very juvenile tagline which suggests young, fit-for-teen content inside.

The encoders of the text, being the writers, photographers and editors at People magazine have represented Demi as being an innocent, fresh starlet with a bright, fun personality who can relate to the girls reading the magazine. Someone taking the preferred reading to this text would believe this to be true and be interested in the exclusive content included in the "special collectors edition' of the magazine.

"Simply Complicated" documentary - 2017

This documentary was released on October 17th 2017 and details a very wide range of subjects such as Lovato's struggles with mental health and drug abuse as well as her music journey. The whole documentary feels very raw and personal throughout with many clips from Demi's career included making the project feel like a scrapbook of her life. The raw feeling allows the audience to relate and believe that they are experiencing these things with Demi and connecting with her on a personal level. In the opening scene of the documentary, Demi says that, "the last time [she] done an interview this long [she] was on cocaine". The documentary that Lovato is referring to is "Demi Lovato: Stay Strong" which was released in 2012. The honestly in the fact that she tells the audience of her previous dishonesty in her last documentary straight away adds the shock factor to the film and develops the audience's sense of trust in Demi. It also prepares them for the secrets that she is going to divulge later on.

In the documentary, Demi is presented as not just a celebrity, but a regular person who is willing to share the ups and downs of her life with those who are willing to listen. Throughout the duration of the film, dramatic music is combination with image of Demi partying and drinking. This emphasises her struggles and represents her as someone who has been through a lot and deserves a lot of respect. This contrasts her previous image as a innocent, teen pop star and it shows a lot of the things that she was going through during that time that was hidden by her youthful persona. Moreover, the documentary highlights the creation process of her album, Tell Me You Love Me - the cover of which I have used as my first text. These clips represent Demi as someone who is passionate and involved in the creation of her music, again setting her apart from modern, 'generic' pop stars.

The encoders of this documentary, director, Hannah Lux Davis and producers, Demi Lovato, Phil McIntyre and others, want to represent Demi as being a strong woman who has faced her battles and come out the other side stronger. In the text, the encoders show Demi as being honest and relatable as well as confident for sharing such personal anecdotes. If one were to take the preferred reading of this text, they would walk away with greater understand and knowledge of Demi's career and what she has gone through. They may be interested in listening to her music after seeing the creation process unfold. Overall, I think somebody taking the preferred reading would grow fond of Demi Lovato and become a respecting fan of hers.