Gülşen - Bangır Bangır: Analysis

I have analysed a music selected music video that includes stereotypes and representations of gender, sexuality and status.

Linking to Richard Dyer's 'Star Theory', the artist Turkish 'Gülşen' is represented as a sexualised, independent female that wears bright clothing. She seems to have been constructed by an institution to aim towards a young, universal audience. Since she is sexualised by wearing revealing clothing it could be aims towards men. However, her music videos suggest independence away from a male, so it could appeal to a female audience too. 

In her music video 'Bangır Bangır', it opens with establishing shots of Turkey with bright lighting, creating a sense of an exotic country in which she lives in. She is then shot at a low angle on a balcony, looking down on men who are washing a car. The men are topless and in a stereotypically female position of cleaning a car. She is contradicting this stereotype, as she is the one objectifying the males. This disagrees with Laura Mulvey's 'Male Gaze' Theory by the camera being represented as being a female gaze as the men are seen as "sex objects", other than the eyes of a man. However, she is still costumed to be attractive and sexual. This represents her as being in power. She is not only dominant in status but she is literally positioned higher than the men. 

The music video matches Andy Goodwin's music video theory of genre characteristics as this pop video includes dance routines and close ups of the artist to advertise her character. She has an obvious visual style and stands out from the background dancers.

The relationship between the lyrics and the visuals is that the (translated) lyrics also show her dominance over a man.

"Get your hands up, babe

Surrender! now you're surrounded

Please be patient until the amnesty comes up (to you)

(I'm gonna kick your ass then)

I'm gonna make you kiss the pathways of this home"

In the music video and the lyrics she is basically telling him what to do, subverting the stereotype that women are submissive and are dependent on men. "Surrounded" links to her backup dancers who are seen as her 'group'. The female and male characters are seen on opposite sides and the artist created the feeling the the women are more dominant. 

Connecting to Dick Hebdidge's Theory, the artist's music and fashion forges her own identity, independence from the others. She matches his stereotype of 'fun' youth other than 'trouble', however, the artist in real life is actually 39. 

The stereotypes repressed in this pop video are that women are seen as supporters of each other and are dominant over men. Men are objectified and are featured merely for her to 'use'.