Dare to bare: Artistes show more skin in tough showbiz market
What you need to know:
- Competitive market has seen Kenyan singers and actors adopt a more explicit and daring dress code
- It seems the more skin an artiste shows, the more popular she becomes
On the first day of February in 2004, in full view of 100 million viewers, Janet Jackson’s famous ‘wardrobe malfunction’ during Super Bawl XXXVIII in the US revealed her bust. A worldwide uproar followed.
Locally, Karen Lucas, also known as Kaz, still walks with her head held high even after nude photos of her were revealed to the public.
She exudes confidence when Saturday Nation revisits the matter. “Nothing positive ever came out of my being taken advantage of, and I am not sure anything ever will,” she says.
In what appears to be a template in the entertainment industry, both locally and internationally, female artistes are growing bolder to further their careers.
Mwafrika, a comedy host on QTV, observes that the trend to go almost naked is because competition in showbiz has become more brutal.
“The entertainment industry is cutthroat and at times artistes may take a daring step to stay relevant,” says Mwafrika.
Nude images
Although entertainment is a male-dominated industry, Kaz doesn’t care about gender boundaries. “I don’t see the difference as a female or male ... women are rocking the Kenyan industry now. Look at Avril, Amani, Wahu and Karun. We rule!” Kaz exclaims.
Avril (left), aka Nyambura Mwangi, best known for her hit song, Kitu Kimoja, is no stranger to controversy.
When her nude images were released on the net, they were meant to destroy her reputation. Instead, they boosted her standing in showbiz.
Avril has since denied a role in the explicit release, but on female artistes being successful only by representing themselves as sexual icons, says: “Simple, sex sells.”
Her key challenge as an artiste is to gain respect among her peers, most of whom are men. “No one really believes that a female artiste is a businesswoman just like any woman in any other industry.”
In October 2011, Avril, together with her music label-mate Marya, went topless for The Pink Project to raise awareness on breast cancer.
Their black counterparts in America perfected the art of going bare a little earlier to raise social awareness on issues close to their bosom.
On the American scene, female rappers and pop stars don revealing, tight clothing.
Kaz told the Saturday Nation that her forte is to break wardrobe rules. “I dress like I like. I don’t follow rules and I like colour.”
Regarding her look during performances, Avril says: “I have a signature look that people identify me with most times and that’s a blonde swipe on my hair.”
On her dressing during performances she says: “I layer my outfits so that I can remove what needs to be creatively removed while on stage.”
An innocent girl
In the movie industry, the stakes are even higher. The script may require a character to be nude.
Nancy Shiku, who plays Amina in the movie Nairobi Half-Life, told Saturday Nation that she has had to go bare to make the film the hit it became.
“I took a supporting role in the movie. I was Amina a ‘call girl’ if you please,” Shiku says. “Nudity is part of art. The same way I would wear a sun dress in a role as an innocent girl is the same way I should express my nudity.”
The writer is a performance poet and film and music critic. His stage name is Muki Garang. Twitter: @mukigarang
