Olly Patriarca's star-image has been influenced by collection of urban/pop male singer-songwriters, both British and American to encourage a universal appeal. From researching the images of popular male solo artists such as Bruno Mars, Usher, Jason Mraz, Olly Murs and James Morrison, it was clear to spot the key conventions that they all possessed which undoubtedly contribute towards their 'star-image' and worldwide success.
American male solo artists that we were inspired by included the likes of Bruno Mars and Usher - modern, urban musical icons. Bruno Mars often sports an edgy, almost rock n' roll style; always accessorising with a Fedora hat, RayBan Wayfarer sunglasses and the pieces of statement jewellery to express a essence of attitude and exciting personality. This clash of urban and rock n' roll style make Bruno seem diverse with a sense of individualism, appealing to a predominantly female audience. Common trends with Bruno appear to be slim jeans, a simple white T-shirt spiced up with a black leather jacket for a casual look. However, when analysing photos from awards ceremonies, Bruno manages to keep his formal look quite young and trendy with a pair of slim jeans, a white shirt, a sharp grey blazer and overly-polished black leather shoes which add a touch of Hollywood glamour. In essence, Bruno never loses recognisability and his signature Fedora paired with his enthusiastic character, define his star-image and this is something we desire to recreate for Olly; a combination of style and an equally appealing personality.
Usher is renowned for being an urban archetype; his sharp fashion sense teamed with his brimming self- confidence and attitude not only makes him appealing to women, but also to men (possibly because they desire his lifestyle and impeccable star-image). We took inspiration from Usher as he is a popular style-icon and his image is one often emulated by other artists such as Jason Derulo. However, the R&B solo artist is dubbed by journalists as having 'a pricey passion for fashion' and although he seems to share Bruno's love for Fedora's, photos frequently depict him wearing designer Gucci ones and Louis Vuitton shoes on a regular basis (i.e. part of his 'casual' look). Usher's infatuation of a constant 'perfectly-polished' image is something we aim to avoid since it decreases relatability with the public and the notion of the audience 'identifying with the star' is lost.
On the other hand, Jason Mraz is far from a manufactured pop-star and possesses a casual, bohemian style and exudes a 'guy-next-door' quality. We aim to incorporate this simplistic, natural look (straw Fedora, basic T-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts etc) into Olly's star-image to make him identifiable with a wide audience.
Olly Murs is a key artist that has influenced Olly Patriarca's star persona. As opposed to the 'flashy' image most mainstream American male artists' display such as Usher, Murs is far from the typified 'Essex-boy' stereotype. He is noticeably inspired by the 90's Britpop movement with Ben Sherman loafers, Fred Perry shirts and Harrington jackets being staple pieces in his wardrobe. However, he adds a modern twist with his infamous Trilby, bow-tie, skinny chinos and incorporates tailoring into his look without losing a sense of himself, finding the middle-ground between casual and smart. For example, a grey/tweed blazer over a polo-shirt with trousers. Furthermore, his authentic 'British' image married with an effervescent, cheeky personality and charming charisma explain why he idolised as the 'perfect man' by British teenage females.
James Morrison is another British singer-songwriter with a strong sense of originality that we took influence from. Similar to Jason Mraz, James maintains a straight-forward style however, he incorporates a wider range of textures to his image, verging on indie rock n' roll and commonly wears checkered flannel shirts, denim and leather jackets and sports an unruly hair-do. Therefore, we aim to experiment with our star's possible 'edgier' side and make use of textured hair wax to achieve a more rugged, genuine look.
Despite the fact that Olly Murs and James Morrison aren't as universally recognised as Bruno Mars and Usher, they have inspired us to combine a 'down-to-earth' British style with a relatable personality to make our star specifically marketable to a young teenage demographic.
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