Almost every single girl in this world has that one artist that changed her life and inspired her in new ways. Think back to yours. Was it Hilary Duff? Raven? Amanda Bynes? Avril Lavigne? Selena Gomez? Miley Cyrus? Britney Spears? Lauren Conrad?
How did you discover your idol? Were they on a show you loved as a kid or had music you loved because it was always on the radio? Chances are, like the artists I listed above, they fell into one of those categories. Like the artists, I listed above, they were probably also a teenager when they made it big and made their way into your young and impressionable heart.
There’s been a twenty-year-old discussion about the responsibility these former young stars have and whether or not they have to be good role models for their young fans as their careers change. Time and time again we traditionally see what some would describe as a “rebellious stage” in music careers, where stars go from goodie-two-shoes to total badasses.
What most parents don’t understand is that it is not celebrities’ responsibilities to raise their children to be good people. Obviously, if celebrities do have very young fan bases comprised of those under the age of ten, there is a little more responsibility involved, but what kids listen to is at the discretion of the parents.
Stars like Hilary Duff, Zendaya and arguably, Selena Gomez, have had, by far, the most flawless transformations in the industry. They never had a rebellious “party girl” stage or jumped too quickly to a mature audience. They evolved gradually with their fans and did it at a relatable pace. Their transitions made sense and they remained great role models regardless of their fame and success. They continue to do so to this day because that’s their genuine nature.
On the other hand, we’ve seen some rough transitions for people like Miley Cyrus, where stars just go towards the complete opposite of what they were known for. Young fans are noticing that trend with Bella Thorne now, and parents are mortified.
Then, we have artists like Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato, who have done a great job at evolving in their music career but are still getting bashed by parents for being “too mature” for young audiences. I get that 90% of Ariana’s songs these days are actually about sex and that her dance moves and outfits are provocative. But have parents actually listened to her music themselves to know just how sexual her songs are? What else would you expect when you take your 7-year-old to her show?
One parent recently complained after taking her young daughters to see Demi Lovato’s new tour in Illinois. She ranted about everything from tour merch to Demi’s dancing and content of her music. Again, are you listening to the music before you let your daughters or are you just going off of a role she played 7 years ago when your kids were four?
I’m sorry, but Demi Lovato is no longer Mitchie from Camp Rock, a film she did ten years ago, and she is no longer Sonny Munroe from Sonny With a Chance. Her first album in 2008 was squeaky clean pop-punk that was meant for a younger crowd because that’s who her fanbase was when the album came out. As each new album was released, the content became more mature because it grew with her personally and her fans as well. Her fanbase from the beginning of her career is now all mature young adults, just like Demi is.
The same thing can be said about Ariana, who is also in the line of fire. The two powerhouse vocalists are growing musically the way they should be and have done nothing wrong in their careers. When you listen to every album from start to end in order, there are no drastic jumps in genres or lyrics. Their progression to maturity went at a nearly unnoticeable pace.You only realize the jump existed when you really think back about it now.
Who are parents of young girls to hold back someone else’s career from evolving just because they want that star to be a role model for their child? These artists are not supposed to hold themselves back and relate to fans from 10 years ago who have grown, too. If parents are so concerned with stars slowly forming a more mature image, why don’t they strive to educate their daughters by being good role models themselves?
Featured image via Ralph_PH / CC BY
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