A couple of plastic surgeons work away at the singer, while her manager stands over her, listing off the talk show hosts who have canceled on her.
“I don’t know how anyone could let themselves go like this,” he bemoans. “I’ve only had two kids,” she replies.
It’s the opening scene of British pop star Lily Allen’s newly released music video “Hard Out Here.” In typical raw, candid, Lily Allen style, the first verse of the song is:
“I suppose I should tell you what this bitch is thinking.You’ll find me in the studio and not in the kitchen. I won’t be bragging ‘bout my cars or talking ‘bout my chains.
Don’t need to shake my ass for you ‘cause I’ve got a brain.”
It’s a feminist anthem of sorts, a song that begins and ends with a scathing critique of the pop music industry, especially as controlled by powerful men exploiting the objectification of women.
While she isn’t as popular in the U.S. as she is overseas, Allen has enough fans here in the states that her release made a wave. While it’s too early to tell whether it’s chart topper, the video was sitting at 3 million views on YouTube as of Thursday night … a little over 48 hours after the song’s release.
It has received both good and bad reviews. Most of the negative comments are focused on her use of women of color in the video, saying it perpetuates their objectification and over-sexualization just like any other pop music video would — a la Miley Cyrus’ “We Can’t Stop.” The criticism is valid, the video prominently features women of color grabbing their crotches and twerking underneath a fountain of champagne. However, those same people miss the key element in the video, the white male manager.
The manager is featured a few times … the first as described above, blasting Allen for her appearance. He shows up in other spots of the video, usually demonstrating to the women how they should be twerking and dancing. The manager’s appearance is important because it solidifies Allen’s message that the pop music industry is run predominately by men, whose contracts women are compelled to sign in order to be “successful.”
But it doesn’t stop there. Allen also makes direct hits to Robin Thicke both in segments of the video and with the line “don’t you want to have somebody who objectifies you? Have you thought about your butt? Who’s gonna tear it in two?”
As a woman, I’m always glad to see strong women step out from under the oppressive systems to make loud and proud critiques via their art form — often of their art form. While the content may be offensive to some, the song is worth a listen and a share on social media.
Our culture has problems, our media industries have problems, especially when it comes to the exploitation of women. But that can never change unless we can take a stand like Lily Allen and critique the system. Songs like this one begin conversations and get people thinking. And I hope all 1.6 million of those people who have seen the music video have a conversation about its message — let’s make it a few more.
Kaitlin Moroney
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