Being a fan of an artist’s music does not mean you know them

| Contributing Writer
Illustration by Charlie Wang

As a kid, I dreamed of becoming a famous actor or singer; being a celebrity seemed to be the pinnacle of success and happiness. But, after seeing how popular artists are treated these days, becoming famous has become my worst fear. 

Fan culture has reached a point of (almost) no return. Many fans don’t view artists as real people or, on the contrary, view artists as their close friends. We as fans must reevaluate the relationship between artist and fan to ensure the happiness of both. 

It is no surprise that people have parasocial relationships with celebrities. The term “parasocial interaction” was created in the 1950s, so it is clearly not a new phenomenon. Parasocial relationships can be healthy in some circumstances, but most times can be damaging to both parties. 

Musical artists get the worst of these relationships because of their unique job requirements. Film and television actors get paid by production teams after filming and have commercials and trailers that advertise for them. Visual artists sell their pieces directly. Music artists, however, have to rely on several unreliable sources of income to make a living. Artists have to rely heavily on self-promotion (even with labels) and touring because streaming and physical sales are not enough to make a living. This causes musical artists to interact with their fans more intimately, which creates stronger parasocial relationships than those with actors or visual artists.

An obvious current example of inappropriate fan behavior is the case of Chappell Roan, the midwestern pop star whose popularity skyrocketed this summer with songs like “Good Luck, Babe!” and “HOT TO GO!”. Roan has fallen victim to severe misinterpretation, unobtainable expectations, and even stalking. Across many social media platforms, “fans” and haters scrutinize her every move, from her rightful complaints about fan behavior to her nuanced critiques of the government. Consequently, Roan dropped out of a recent festival to preserve her mental health, continuing to be vocal about her boundaries.

Chappell Roan’s mere existence as an outspoken artist seems to have created a divide between fans who sympathize with the celebrity experience and those who think artists should be grateful for the fans who “made” their success. I am part of the first group because I’ve seen how vicious fans can be online, and I can only imagine how that translates in person. 

When performing live, artists have to maintain a balance of friendliness and professionalism when talking to their audience, all while putting on a good show. The complications of parasocial relationships can be very present in concert settings because the artist and fans are physically in the same room. There is minimal separation between the two parties, so fans often feel comfortable shouting whatever comes to mind. 

During singer beabadoobee’s current tour, several audience members have shouted hateful, explicit phrases about the singer’s ex-boyfriend. While beabadoobee is performing — a sad and personal song nonetheless — people take it upon themselves to ruin the moment for one second of attention. At concerts, especially, fans must separate artists’ personal lives from their artistry. 

Creating art is often very personal and emotional. Artists grace us with their art, and once it is out in the world, the art takes on a new life out of their control. Because of this phenomenon, it is understandable that fans will develop their interpretations of, and relationships to, an artist’s work. However, the relationships need to be focused on the art and artist persona. Music is not merely a gateway into a singer’s personal diary, so fan relationships should focus on the art as its own entity. Yes, of course, artists should get credit for their work, but after release, the work really becomes attached to the artist’s branded persona, not the individual who was in a studio creating it. 

All artists take on personas to promote and perform their music, no matter how much they intentionally buy into them. Whether this takes the form of stage names, such as Lady Gaga or Bruno Mars, or by building a brand image like Taylor Swift, all of the most popular current artists carefully craft the personality and image they show their fans. We don’t know them, and they definitely don’t know us.

The rise of social media has only made parasocial relationships worse. Posting on social media has become essential to marketing one’s music, to the point of artists practically becoming influencers. Many artists post almost daily, and it isn’t always about their music. Some share photos from vacations, pictures of meals, or personal stories, which can give insight into their personal lives. 

Still, fans have to respect that artists specifically choose what to reveal on social media and never fully share their identity. As fans, we have to respect this separation of the fan and the artist and be appreciative of any glimpse into artists’ personal lives that they choose to share with us. We can admire artists from afar and definitely love their music, but we must recognize our place as fans and not friends. Artists do not owe fans anything, not even their art.

I’m not saying that I fully pity famous artists; many of these singers are extremely successful and wealthy. I think we need to give them some grace, though, because they are human beings who choose to share their music with the world. I still want to be part of the music industry myself, but only once fans understand the humanity of artists.

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