Saturday, November 21, 2015

Vocaloid - A Closet Filled With Voices


Imagine a hit song sung by a computer or a sold out concert without a human performance. Imagine sitting in your room and having the capability to compose and synthesize a song from your laptop. This is all possible with Vocaloid. 

Vocaloid is a Japanese music software sensation that is changing how music is produced. According to Vocaloid’s website: “Vocaloid is a technology for singing voice synthesis developed by Yamaha, and the name of this software application. The software allows users to input melody and lyrics in order to synthesize singing. In other words, with this technology, singing can be produced without a singer.” [1]

Released in 2004, Vocaloid is a singing voice synthesis that holds vocal sounds in a voice banks. Unlike Apple’s Garage Band, the Vocaloid user is not limited to singing with his/her own voice and is not dependent on others to create a full song. Vocaloid singer options are broken down into characters that are associated with unique sounds, styles and have their own fan base. With the different characters, they have different voices.

The software has been able to capitalize on these characters by creating a storyline between them with relationships and drama. Additionally, the characters are trademarked and produced into figurines and used as graphics for many products. 
Vocaloid attracts similar audience as an Anime convention or Comic Con, with a large following who has interest in computing, music and graphic design. 

This software has created the ability to perform hologram concerts and there are animated music videos. Can this technology pick up a following to compete with the music competitions we’re obsessed with like The Voice?


 This opens the door to skillful musicians and creative types who lack vocal talents as well as computer programmers who want to let out their inner rock star. The composer has the power to create the song with any pitch, voice, genre and tone they like to fit the song best. They can create their song from scratch using human sounds available through the software and explore the possibilities of making music without actually singing. Then, fans are able to download the songs for a fee.

Some of the Vocaloid songs are a reaction to politics in Japan and used as social commentary. The school system in Japan is known for enforcing harsh discipline and this video below gives you an insight into a new cultures way of reaction to all of this. 


Is this a new genre in the music industry? Does it alter the traditional roles of music production? I think in some ways yes, as it does take away the relationship between the musician and composer. Also, some songs can sound a bit robotic since it looses the authentic human sound that often makes the listener feel an emotional reaction. However, in the music we listen too we can hear that the musicians synthesize sounds and there’s a difference between recorded songs and live performances.





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Sunday, November 8, 2015

Music & Fashion Branding




Entertainment and fashion industries use each other’s names/fame as a tool to cultivate more success and create a new meaning/identity. Advertisements and endorsements are new career opportunities for existing stars, aging stars and rising stars. The crossover between fashion and musicians in media- from magazine photography to music videos drives attention to fans of the musician and the fashion brand.

There are obvious collaborations where the musician fits perfectly into the brand’s identity and target audience. For example: Taylor Swift appearing in Ked’s campaign reinforced the existing image of both the singer and the brand. She will continue to attract customers to the brand that may have already supported Ked’s but she may not necessarily attract a new demographic.




Other usages of celebrity is when the brand does not obviously fit with one another- but the campaign uses a celebrity to attract a new demographic by extending its brand appeal. A$ap Rocky appearing in DKNY spring 2014 campaign was a new direction for DKNY and A$AP Rocky. He is known for his love of fashion and raps about it in his song Fashion Killa that name-drops his favorite 20 or so designers, one of them being Donna Karan. His music demographic doesn’t really fit into the mold of the DKNY consumer (who is the consumer of DKNY anyway?) However, both the designer and A$ap Rocky embody the New York spirit of the brand and his image with the brand attracts a new audience.

In addition, brands rely on celebrity’s endorsements as a tool to attract a larger audience as well as redefine their image. The relationship works back and forth, as the celebrity also uses the brand endorsement as another extension of their own individual branding. Brands have the powers to address and access specific lifestyles. By listening to a musician or supporting a celebrity, the listener/fan becomes associated with them. One can trademark themselves and their identity in a way that attracts the public and creates a lifestyle.

In 2008, Rihanna endorsed Totes Umbrella’s which capitalized on her hit song Umbrella. In a New York Times article, Nothing Sells Like Celebrity - The Boom in Endorsements, Rihanna says, “We’ve worked hard to build me and my name up as a brand, we always want to bring an authentic connection to whatever we do. It must be sincere and people have to feel that.”[1] Eight years later, Rihanna has been associated to a number of brands who have a different following.
In 2014, Rihanna became the creative director for Puma and oversees the women’s sportswear line and this fall her own sneaker called creepers were released and has been sold out. Rihanna can influence the brand she promotes, Totes umbrella sales went up and Puma is now attracting attention similar to what they had at the start of the 20th century. Riri is staying busy in the fashion industry, she has teamed up with a jewelry designer to create a collection of temporary tattoos and she has been a contributing creative director for a fashionable sock brand called Stance. The endorsements continue for Riri, Dior (what can be considered a polished and tame brand) announced last spring that Rihanna will appear as the new face of the brand.
Dior’s past face, Jennifer Lawrence is young like Rihnna and they share some similar attributes but they both give off very different energy’s. J –Law is an actress that is often seen on the red carpet in polished couture whereas Rihanna, a singer, can show up in dress that is completely transparent aside from a couple well-positioned sequins. This brings Dior an edgier and urban connection promoting the brand in a different demographic. Now the Rihanna fans will aspire to own Puma sneakers and a Dior bag bringing them one step closer to achieving her glamorous meets street style look.


Brands have the power to give outsiders a new way to look at the musician and see them in the way the brand wants them to appear. Justin Bieber is now what Mark Walberg was for Calvin Klein. The brand created a new image of Justin Bieber- replacing his teenage boy image with a provocative masculinity. Is this adding as much to his image than it does for the brand? Bieber says, “I’m excited to venture into a new lane….Really new and something I’ve always really liked, but now I’m just moving forward into that direction.” He sees his appearance in these ads as a “transitioning tool” for his own brand to extend its opportunities.[2]








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