Analysis of Album Art

KATY PERRY CALIFORNIA GURLS 

• This album cover is for predominant pop artist Katy Perry’s single California Gurls. The album title works in conjunction with the selection of colours used for the background, the text and even the aesthetic of the artist. The bright colours with hues of lemon yellows and baby pinks and blues connote an air of fun and youthfulness or even childlike innocence and naivety. The image of the parasol in the background along with the lighting used to highlight the artists body indicate that the album cover represents the season of summer. This could suggest that in this song in particular the focal point is primarily fun and the pursuit of fun, but also the pursuit for the artist to return to a more enjoyable and light-hearted period in her life.

• The album cover is represented as or adopts the genre characteristics of a 1950s-esque pin up girl – an icon of the era encapsuling beauty, talent and fame into one. Through the artists aesthetic it is evident she is keen to portray herself as a woman of this nature. It also provides insight into her artistic interests, likes and dislikes, but also determines how her genre of music will be perceived by a consumer audience.

• The codes of which this image portrays are that of mainstream western culture and stereotypical perceptions of the female gender – the fact that they are represented as or symbolise objects of sexual desire for the egotistical modern day male and iconic for the aspirational and admiring female audience. It is a commentary on the reoccurring ideology of desire and of consumerism today.

• The album title is a mix of bold lettering and fluid. Perhaps the bold font is used to make a statement whereas the fluid text used for the lettering of the word “gurls” is used to convey the delicate and pretty nature of the song and ultimately the artist herself.

• The artist is dressed in quite a revealing and provocative manner to highlight her feminine features and beauty. Her hair is consciously coloured blue to create the illusion of an astounding rarity and uniqueness of the artist.