A = Allison (me)
SJ = Soo-Jean
D = Dexter
J = Jackson
A: So would you consider yourself a Britney spears fan?
SJ: YES! YES!
D: Definitely NOT!
J: No…one word answer; no.
A: what kind of people do you think are fans of Britney spears and how do you think her fan base has changed?
J: I mean look at Soo-Jean over there, fan base isn’t changing a whole lot.
A: well I mean like…we liked Britney spears when we were like pre-teen…not pre-teen
SJ: mmm…like 8.
J: and you still like Britney spears.
D: see but I think her fan base now is like catering to more people like your age…
A: do you feel like her fan base is staying the same?
J: she is a little bit like risqué dude. You know what I mean? Like some of her appeal…
SJ: but that doesn’t matter cause little kids don’t listen to the lyrics, it’s just more of the beat.
D: but they don’t listen to like electronic…
SJ: its more like when you get into the party scene…ish…or like the dances…or like middle school. I would say middle school cause you have dances…and you like hear all these things. And then obviously when you start driving cause you listen to the radio..so like definitely teens, like high school teens.
D: but not like…I don’t think she has a fan base like around 10 or 11. Cause they can’t relate to anything.
SJ: I think middle school for sure…middle schools pre-teens.
A: do you think she has changed her fan base?
SJ: no…its changed…older people like it.
D: I think people that started liking her when they were young still like her, but she’s having a hard time getting like 8 year olds and stuff….and its kinda like a reason you said before…her song lyrics now are getting a lot more political and…her challenging…“gimme” or whatever the song is…they just can’t relate to that you know?
J = (anonymous)
M = Mary Beth Lesbirel
A: Why do you think Britney spears has withstood the tests of time, even though its only like ten years…but it’s a lot in the fast paced world we live in today….? What kind of people do you think are fans of Britney spears? How does her fan base grow?
M: I guess she pulls a consistent fan base every time…I don’t know...people like me listened to her when she wasn’t that good…I mean the fact that she has evolved as an artist has helped her last over time….
J: because she continues to do what works for her, however she must have some really good people behind the scenes because they are staying with the pop trends…they are always putting out stuff that is hot and people are gonna like…from "hit me baby" to now, the sound definitely has changed…but they make sure that the stuff she comes out with is definitely gonna sell…I feel like Christina Aguilera tried to be pop but have her own sound….and Britney spears was always more popular…but Christina has a way better voice than Britney…but Britney's just an icon…whoever handles her sh*t knows their stuff…
J: twelve and thirteen year olds shouldn't necessarily be fans cause they don’t know what Britney spears is about..they are more attracted to the bad….i think the demographic has changed…
Allie,
ReplyDeleteI think you have a really cool topic, Britney Spears' ability to stay relevant and popular over the years is definitely something worth examining. I think both of these interview excerpts do a good job of addressing how Britney draws an older fan base today than she did when she first came out, and how if she still has young (tween) fans today they probably can not really relate to the lyrics of her songs. I'd be really interested to hear the full audio of these interviews, because I wonder what your interview subjects think about the media, her celebrity, and the marketing of Britney Spears affects her popularity and credibility as an artist. "J" touches on this subject in the second excerpt, when she discusses the people "behind the scenes" of Britney's career, but I'd be curious to hear more about these thoughts in detail, particularly from Soo-Jean, a Britney fan. Great job and good luck with the rest of your project!
It's really interesting how the people you interviewed reflect different types of fans (or non-fans). I think they offered a good opinion of her fanbase when D said that the people who originally liked her when they were 10-12 still like her a lot but she's having trouble connecting with new 10 year olds. The original fans feel like they grew up with her, and she changed her music as they changed as well. But as for the content and dance style that can happen with her current music... it doesn't attract that 8-10 year old pre-teen crowd!
ReplyDeleteThe marketing/PR comments are really interesting too, and maybe you can (or did and it's not in this transcript) build on this later. Good luck!
Britney Spears' popular appeal is certainly worth studying as it seems people fall into two groups: fans and those who are vehemently against. I also found it interesting how people identify the pre-teen crowd as Britney's main fan base, which I believe was certainly true a decade ago, but certainly not now. I did however agree with the idea that people would get into Britney's new music when they enter the party scene.
ReplyDeletePerhaps you should interview a few pre-teens about Britney and what about her music they enjoy or dislike.
It is interesting that you interviewed several people with different perspectives about Britney Spears. I feel like her career has attracted so many different fans at different times, and then she has some how have always remained fans. This is definitely something your interview recognized. Her popularity swings would be interesting to document in your final ethnography post.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the different perspectives that you received in this interview. Also the discussion of how her fanbase has remained the same even as it gets older was very intriguing and with which I agree. I would like to see more of a range of ages interviewed for a more complete picture of Spears' audience.
ReplyDeleteInteresting to get different perspectives at the same time. I think one thing that could potentially be explored more is the connection between Britney Spears' looks and her popularity. I remember friends of mine who would watch TRL featuring Britney Spears videos solely because of the way she dressed and danced in those videos for instance. Good luck with your project.
ReplyDeleteIt’s a great idea to interview with people who have different ideas about Britney Spears. It’s an interesting interview. I think she was appealing to pre-teen people before but she changed a lot. I mean both her music and her attitudes. I used to hate her music, but now I like some of her songs, though I’m not her fan. On the other hand, it is a truth that she is a pop idol, because even though Christina Aguilera sounds better than her, she is more popular. That might be because of her marketing strategies.
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