Some food for thought: Miley Cyrus and women in music

I should have noted that this blog entry has been revised last night, wasn't really happy how I sounded originally.
I think it is safe enough to say what tonight's blog entry was inspired by that oh so "inspiring" performance by former child star Miley Cyrus on last night's VMA awards. I'm not going to lie but her performance made me cringe. I did not find her outfit or her behavior remotely sexy. Another reason why I did not like her performance was that she was grinding against a married man ON television. I also felt that was not appropriate behavior for both parties involved.  That said I felt her performance just reeked of "look at me, look at me!" and that she was trying to garner attention for her upcoming album Bangerz. I also got the impressing that the little twat is trying to emulate the late Wendy O. Williams of the Plasmatics. Wendy O. Williams Miley Cyrus is not and never will be.

Wendy O.Williams really had a lot of charisma and knew how to use her sexuality without objectifying herself for the sake of her art. It was obvious there was a method to her madness in Wendy's onstage performance.

With Miley's performance last night, it was all over the wall and had no point other than shock value. I really suspect that this was all done for publicity for her upcoming album. I also think she was trying to shed her Disney image once and for all. Am I a fan of the gyrating and twerking that Miley did on stage? Oh hell no! Am I going to join in with the chorus of "slut-shaming" I have been seeing online? No but do think her performance certainly deserves some thought-provoking criticism which I am trying to do on my blog here. Do I think Miley is a slut or whore for her onstage behavior? By all means no. Like Madonna in her heyday, Miley was expressing hers sexuality on tv. I thought her performance was a bit forced and well, a piss poor attempt at trying to be the new Madonna circa Like a Virgin era. What I really didn't enjoy was Miley's performance especially when it involved a married man. C'mon, rubbing up against a supposedly happily married man on stage and on tv? That definitely was inappropriate and Miley should have known better. I also can't forget about Robin Thicke in this whole debacle. To not mention him would be unfair. I hate that song "Blurred Lines". Horrible melody, horrible voice, and horrible lyrics. Just hate the lyrics and what that douchebag Robin Thicke is implying in the songs which is rape. I wish people would hold him accountable for the disgusting message he implies in that song. You can read the lyrics here. I am aghasted over them. Now why isn't Robin's mother Gloria Loring PO at her douchebag son as she is with Miley's performance? Oh and why aren't people going after him for his part of the performance? I smell double standard.

With Wendy O. Williams, I never got the impression from all the videos I have watched of her on youtube,  Wendy O. Williams really personified what a strong, independent woman should be. She was a bold, fearless woman with a strong vision well ahead of her time which I find lacking in mainstream music nowadays. Like I said before, Miley' performance felt forced and that she was trying too hard to be provocative and really trying to make people forget about Hannah Montana. I was not convinced that Miley Cyrus is now an adult pop star. Me thinks she needs to watch some videos of The Plasmatics, Grace Jones, and Madonna if she wants to be a envelope pushing type of pop star. Her performance on the VMA show reeks of immaturity and straight out unsexy. She could learn a lot from the aforementioned women.

A lot of my favorite artists and bands involves women. Last year I wrote a blog about the 100 greatest women in music (in my personal opinion). Not only were these women talented as musicians but what I didn't mention then is that I also thought and still think they exude sexiness but without portraying themselves as sex objects. My idea of sexiness? For me it isn't about how little clothing you are wearing or simulating masturbation on stage with a foam hand. It is about attitude along with fashion and make up. This picture of Ulrike Goldmann of Blutengel is a perfect example of my idea of what sexiness is, plus she is killer singer to boot. She is evidence that one can be sexy without looking like trashy. Also I have seen lots of fetish models online with minimal clothes where the photographs of them are tastefully done and does not come off exploitive. Also burlesque is quite sexy without coming off lewd and vulgar. If Miley had gone that route minus the awful Robin Thicke song, I think she would have convinced me that she was now a mature pop star ready to be known as an adult but she did not the other night.

In a perfect world women like Miley Cyrus would not have to resort to pulling such provocative and questionable acts onstage just to help promote one's upcoming album (and yes the same can be said about Lady Gaga too but she isn't on my shitlist tonight) and would let their real talent speak for itself (although I find her singing "talents" highly questionable). Thank heavens I don't listen to mainstream music. The women in mainstream music today I find terribly disappointing. I personally have more respect for women who let their musical talents speak for themselves and not for the image they project in their videos. The same can be said with men too but if this is what helps propel their career so be it. I just like some substance behind the imagine (which I am not seeing with Miley Cyrus).