Yo,
Hope everyone had a great week and is gearing up for a great weekend. More playoff football, sleeping in, birthdays, and Miley Cyrus’s new song on repeat.
Yes, Miley Cyrus for me this weekend. Comebacks are back and this Friday we’re breaking into pop culture.
This song reminds me of you
You know when you hear a song for the first few times and the lyrics begin to remind you of someone you know? Well, ten bucks says Liam Hemsworth, Miley’s ex, is feeling that way this weekend.
Miley just released a single leading up to her new album (that is actually decent) with so many “coincidences” that they can’t even be called coincidences. Let’s run through them really quick and then get to the good stuff:
- The song was released on Liam Hemsworth’s birthday
- The lyrics speak for themselves
- Apparently, the tune is a remix of a song that Bruno Mars had written for their scheduled wedding.
- The music video is rumored to be filmed at a house where Hemsworth cheated on Miley.
- In the music video, Miley is dressed in a blazer that is rumored to had been worn by Hemsworth when he told her to “behave for once” at a red-carpet ceremony.
The connections truly are abundant. If you’re into the gossip, cool, if not, join the club. To be honest, if someone wouldn’t have told me all of this I would have never known, and even knowing I don’t necessarily care.
What I do think is interesting though, is how Miley is beginning to create and control her own narrative which has served other musicians well in the past.
Truly, coming in like a wrecking ball
What do Shakira, Taylor Swift, and Miley all have in common? They’ve all taken control of the narrative and created a number one album by exploiting how they have previously been wronged.
Scoot over John Mayer and Gerard Pique, Liam needs some room to sit.
Miley has written what seems to be a slam piece about Liam and how everyone thought she was crazy, when maybe she was just misunderstood.
Shakira dropped a diss track about Gerard Pique which became the most watched Latin song in history.
Taylor Swift literally re-recorded an entire album almost exactly the same due to IP disputes, gathered public support, and made Red (Taylor’s Version) her highest streamed album.
Not only that, but her re-recording of Fearless also surpassed the original album.
Drama sells. Specifically framing the drama to create the impression that you deserve empathy (unless of course you are Kyrie Irving).
Whether they’re sympathy streams or not, these three artists are cashing in, all ranking in the highest paid female singers.
Next up? Brittany Spears would be my guess.
Step aside ladies
It’s not just female singer/songwriters who are able to do this either.
Perhaps the most textbook example of a non-singer to reshape public opinion and control the narrative is Johnny Depp. Through a public trial, Johnny was able to come off as an empathetic person worthy of public support.
Just look at how the name “Johnny Depp” was trending in Google Trends. Through the lawsuit, he became more relevant than when any of his movies were released.
And he’s cashing in too. After “clearing his name” to some regards, he is getting several ad deals and Hollywood is no longer blacklisting him.
Flavor & Fire
I would consider myself a hot sauce savant. My taste has grown from the boring Frank’s Red Hot, and Flavor & Fire is what has filled their void. They have over 20 hot sauces ranging from tasty with a kick to some that are hotter than the drama in this week’s newsletter. Their hottest, Knock Knock, puts Hot Ones to shame. My personal favorites are Taco Cat (super-hot) and North Market (good on eggs), so go check em’ out. #ad
A few takeaways with an idea
This is the first, and probably last time I’ll get into the whole pop culture thing. But if there was a way to gamble on celebrities, I think betting on those who are “creating their own narrative” would be a great rule to go by.
Who knows if this is just the result of famous people opening up more and having their personal lives aired out, or deliberately framing themselves as a victim to gain public sympathy.
Whatever the motive, it’s working.
And I think someone could carve a career out of this. Whether it’s an expert marketer who works with this specific demographic or a diss track writer, there is clearly value. When it comes to Hollywood, reputation translates directly to dolla dolla bills y’all.
Let’s have ourselves a weekend.
from, matt
