Few days ago I was switching channels randomly on the TV when I came across a biography for Madonna. Her first years of success were the early 80's. No news there. I am not old enough to remember the initial shock. When I realized what was going on, she was already a singer famous more by the attitude than the songs (thus why the first song I remembered being hers was "Don't cry for me, Argentina"; way late, eh?).
I regret being so young. I wish I had seen the impact caused by a pop star who comes up and screams "I am here to portray a sensual girl. My image will sell more than my songs. I openly show I want men to fantasize about me.". Only image of the young Madonna I had up to not long ago was her character Susan in a movie of which all I remember was she ate spaghetti with her toes.
The 90's were no good in that sense. Madonna as a mother singing "Frozen" was just very unnecessary. No artist dared follow her tracks - and none could anyway, it had been done ten years before. We had a proliferation of smaller idols outshading each other. "J.Lo", Christina, Britney, Spice Girls. None of them were shocking. Britney Spears got boring in her little purity. Spice Girls did not live up to the expectations. Jennifer Lopez and Christina Aguillera were too vulgar, too obvious. None of them had the combination of angelical look and fiery eyes (and body, lyrics, et alii).
Done with that thought, I moved on to the next channel, and the next, so on. Eventually, as if by divine intervention, I fell on one and saw a grayish image of some open umbrellas, rain. Music started playing. Addictive music: for the next two days I had to contain myself not to scream "This! Is! Not en-o-ough!!". They call it "t.A.T.u", but I will just refer to it as "Tatu" because all those dots everywhere annoy me.
It is too early to say they are as big a hit as Madonna. Surely they caused a lot of shock and gained a billion fans in two weeks, but I wonder if they have staying power. Madonna was in the spotlight for about ten years, and when we thought she was done she became a mother and went back to it, then she went nuts again. Of course, she is rather overdue now, as her last work shows. But she is still up there, regardless.
Back to my views. I was disappointed that I missed the 80's, but the 00's had this in store. I think I still prefer the 80's.
Madonna put herself up there for the world to fantasize, but she was "reachable", I mean, she was one girl, teasing boys. Tatu is two girls, a closed relationship as far as the non-Russian speaking public knows - and even if it is not, that is the image they portray. That renders them rather unreachable: for males, because they are just not into them; for females, because they already have a counterpart. I am not making my views clear at all. Madonna says "I am sexy, you want me."; the Tatu girls say "We are beautiful, you want us... Too bad.".
So what is the problem, after all? None, really. Personal opinion: I think teasing works better (and is more honest) when it is possible to have what is being offered. The 00's do not give it. "Look. Look more. Look again. Touch? No."
There is no conclusion here, no defining thought. The brunette girl (Yulia, I think) is cuter than Madonna ever was, if you mind knowing what I think. But if I had to choose, I would pick the 80's. On the other hand, I now feel glad I only paid attention to the 90's. I wonder what is going through the minds of boys and girls born a decade after me.
Posted by Etienne at May 6, 2003 06:42 PM