TY - CHAP

T1 - ''Glamazons' of Pop

T2 - The Enigma of the Female Military-Styled Pop Star: Kate Bush and Madonna

AU - Langkjær, Michael Alexander

N1 - First published in the United Kingdom in eBook format in 2013. First edition.

PY - 2013

Y1 - 2013

N2 - Female pop stars adopting a military look transform themselves by taking on archetypically male qualities, while at the same time assuming these same qualities for reasons by turns ironical, aggressive and 'caring.' But if there is an essential difference between the military look of the female pop star and that of the male, what does it consist in? In this brief review of pop 'glamazons,' I deal mainly with Kate Bush and Madonna. Both pushed boundaries in mainstream popular music by their lyrics and imagery. Art pop star Kate Bush has performed as a gun-slinging space cowgirl on the 'Tour of Life' (1979), engaged in field combat in 'Army Dreamers' and figured as an archetypal female warrior in 'Babooshka' (both: 1980). Pop rock star Madonna appeared smartly in a military greatcoat with epaulettes and big, brassy buttons in 'The Girlie Show' (1993), but had to pull her 'American Life' anti-war fashion statement (2003), while returning to military style on her 'Re-Invention tour' (2004). Paradoxes in the military-styled performances of both women are touched on; especially intriguing is that of a red, white and blue bikini-clad, caped and combat-booted Madonna, in her 'Rock the Vote' TV-spot (1990). In comparing Kate Bush and Madonna, I consider what their military look consisted in - including historical and mythological connotations, and whether the object was aesthetic or political, as well as how it could relate to what is being expressed in the lyrics. Were there common motives behind Kate's and Madonna's military looks?

AB - Female pop stars adopting a military look transform themselves by taking on archetypically male qualities, while at the same time assuming these same qualities for reasons by turns ironical, aggressive and 'caring.' But if there is an essential difference between the military look of the female pop star and that of the male, what does it consist in? In this brief review of pop 'glamazons,' I deal mainly with Kate Bush and Madonna. Both pushed boundaries in mainstream popular music by their lyrics and imagery. Art pop star Kate Bush has performed as a gun-slinging space cowgirl on the 'Tour of Life' (1979), engaged in field combat in 'Army Dreamers' and figured as an archetypal female warrior in 'Babooshka' (both: 1980). Pop rock star Madonna appeared smartly in a military greatcoat with epaulettes and big, brassy buttons in 'The Girlie Show' (1993), but had to pull her 'American Life' anti-war fashion statement (2003), while returning to military style on her 'Re-Invention tour' (2004). Paradoxes in the military-styled performances of both women are touched on; especially intriguing is that of a red, white and blue bikini-clad, caped and combat-booted Madonna, in her 'Rock the Vote' TV-spot (1990). In comparing Kate Bush and Madonna, I consider what their military look consisted in - including historical and mythological connotations, and whether the object was aesthetic or political, as well as how it could relate to what is being expressed in the lyrics. Were there common motives behind Kate's and Madonna's military looks?

KW - Faculty of Humanities

KW - Fashion

KW - Politics

KW - Ideology

KW - Style

KW - Fashion-as-performance

KW - Gender

KW - Sexuality

KW - Fashion icons

KW - Fashion-and-music

KW - Cultural studies

KW - Kate Bush

KW - Madonna

KW - Archetypes (female)

KW - Fashion

M3 - Book chapter

SN - 978-1-84888-160-0

T3 - Critical Issues Series 'Ethos'

SP - 79

EP - 90

BT - Fashion-Wise

A2 - Vaccarella, Maria

A2 - Foltyn, Jacque Lynn

PB - Inter-Disciplinary Press

CY - Oxford

ER -