When Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter came out, a prominent literary scholar complained on Twitter, “I am tired, weak, and worn of that person who has been converted into a goddess.” The Beyhive, on the other hand, celebrates whenever Beyonce flies, rides magical horses, or appears on a throne. From Josephine Baker and Ella Fitzgerald to Beyonce and Taylor Swift, female popular music artists have been styled (or have styled themselves) goddesses. This course submits to close reading the lyrics of artists also including Tina Turner, Dolly Parton, Whitney Houston, Selena, Nicki Minaj, Shakira, Carole King and more—along with the choices made in videos and live performances. We will consider how their lyrics, genres, costuming, staging, choreography, and videography facilitate, emphasize, distort, derail, or otherwise engage the messages that artists offer. We will ask: how do the poetics, presentation, and politics of pop divas articulate, position, and construct their human consumers?

Units: 1

Max Enrollment: 25

Crosslisted Courses: WGST 117

Prerequisites: None.

Distribution Requirements: ARS - Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Film and Video; LL - Language and Literature

Typical Periods Offered: Fall

Semesters Offered this Academic Year: Fall