A note to the examiner:

Dear examiner,
I hope you enjoy reading my work and seeing my progress from the start of the coursework to my final product. I have learnt a lot throughout this process, about many aspects of media forms. I believe that my ideas have developed and become more sophisticated as I have gone through the process and the changes and alterations that I made throughout have helped me to produce an end product that i am satisfied with. I hope you can recognize my hard work and progression from start to end.

Final Product

Preliminary Task

Analysis, evaluation and general comments on my front cover

Note: There is three variations of my front cover in which I have handed in to my teacher for marking. This is only one.

I am happy with the design of my front cover and think it looks clean cut, neat and professional, which is the style i was aiming for. I have tried to keep it relatively simple and minimalist. I think that the image is eye catching and the colours in the image stand out above the white background. I learnt during looking at some photography in my research of the importance of an image, especially on the front cover of a magazine or product. I copied the style conventions of clash magazine but added elements and ideas of my own in as well based around my ideas and the way that the image and text fit around each other.

Analysis, evaluation and general comments on my double page spread

I was happy with my double page spread and believe that this was probably the page that saw the most improvements from the original draft. Again, I tried to combine a mixture of features that would be representative of contemporary R&B style and PBR&B style. I did this by keeping the page design like those I had analysed in vibe magazine. For example, one of my main style models when looking at this page was the Bruno Mars page. I tried to copy this kind of style, however adapted it slightly to give a slightly more alternate R&B look to the page. I think that the effects used on my image are effective and i tried to combine a selection of styles from R&B and PBR&B to dress my artist for this page. I kept the style of the page quite simplistic and minimalist which was the general feel that I was hoping for and that I believe I achieved throughout the magazine. If i had the chance to make another draft of this i probably would have made a few alterations, such as the placing and positioning of the branding ('fusion') and the page numbers, to ensure that these did not clash with any other parts of the text on the page. 

Analysis, evaluation and general comments on my final contents page

Above is my final contents page. I am happy with this part of the product but probably less so than my front cover and my double page spread. I understand that this differs quite significantly from the contents that i produced in my first draft, however I believe i can justify these changes. For starters, i would like to mention again how as my research developed i found a new sub genre of R&B that particularly interested me and which i adapted some of my work to allow this sub genre to fit in. This was PBR&B and looked at less contemporary R&B styles that infused other genres such as alternative, and hip hop. I believe that the way i adapted my contents page from the first draft was more inclusive of this sub genre, for example, the image located on the right hand side of the page includes two artists who wear styles more typical of the alternative/indie genre. Where as my main cover star, Aliyah Mae, on the left hand side of the page appears to be more of a contemporary R&B star. I tried to use a combination of the two to create a balance on this page. I believe that as an improvement, if i had the chance to do this again or make another draft, i would've perhaps taken a few more photos of a better quality and where i had more time to put to use the photography skills that i had researched. However my contents page fits into the style that i have aimed for all along, which was a neat, clean cut style, with the main use of a black and white colour scheme. This is what i looked for in most of my style models that I analysed also.

General Comments about the progression of my work

At the start of this project i wished to produce a contemporary  R&B music magazine. However as i went through the process and did more research i discovered the sub genre of PBR&B. This particularly interested me and was an idea that i had in mind, that i had found had actually been classified into a specific sub genre of R&B. This gave me more scope and room to challenge conventions and take features and aspects from a few different genres to produce my final product.  I was glad that my research allowed me to find this as it let me produce something a bit different and unique from already, pre-existing R&B music magazines. As a result of all this the style i was going for changed quite drastically throughout the process, and this can be seen especially by comparing my first draft product and my final product. I believe my first draft product follows a style which is more typical of the conventional R&B style, however my final product is more representative of the PBR&B sub genre i wished to include and of the genre and general intentions i had for my magazine which was to be predominantly an R&B magazine, however with other genres intertwined to create something a bit different.

Changes made to double page spread

I think i was most happy with the improvements that i made between my first draft version of the double page spread and the final product.  In the first draft the columns of text were very out of line with each other and made the page look scruffy and un professional. In my final draft I made sure that the text was in line and made is slightly smaller and added more text in. I also changed the font of the name of the article/ the artists name as although i liked this text i wanted to go for something more simplistic to match the contents page and to create some consistency throughout the pages of the magazine. I removed the patterned design at the side of the right hand page and changed the image as i did not believe the image was of the best quality. However i went for a similar style in the photo, in the fact that my artist is pulling a similar pose. Instead i also made the image smaller but kept it on the right hand page and added a black border around it to keep it more simple and to add to the minimalist design. I removed the quote from the bottom of the page and instead added more text to make the columns longer so that this made up the majority of the left hand page. I also made the page mumbers smaller, changed them and moved the page numbers to the correct sides of the page. I also added the name of the magazine on both pages at the top in order to brand the magazine and for advertisement purposes.

Images For Magazine--Flickr

I was happy with the images that i used for my final product, however the lighting in some of the images was of a poor quality and i therefore had to use photo editing software and apps to increase the brightness of the images. For the majority of this process I used the befunky editing app. I used a Nikon D3200.

In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products? 
When producing my music magazine i closely copied the styles and conventions of pre- existing magazines to allow myself to produce a final product which looked professional and realistic. However, i also challenged the conventions of some real media products in order to produce something which was different and a style of my own. 

I copied the conventions of clash magazine predominantly for my cover page. For example, i copied the bold style and font of Clash magazine, and tried to keep it at a similar size. I also copied the arrangement of plugs/lures down the side of the page, as is seen on clash magazines cover page. As you can see below, i have kept all font on my page the same colour, in black, to distinguish between the background and text, as has the Clash magazine cover below, who have displayed all font in white, to create consistency on the page. I have also displayed the barcode in a similar way to clash with the price displayed underneath the barcode on the page and the date displayed across the side of the barcode.

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For my double page spread i copied the conventions of vibe magazine, an R&B music magazine. Above is a copy of a double page spread from vibe magazine, featuring Bruno Mars. Here, they use a whole A4 side to display a picture and present all font on the other side. They keep a simplistic design, by keeping a white background where there font is displayed as does mine. This keeps a minimilistic design to the page. I also copy the interview style that vibe magazine do, and the way that they present the question and answer structure in different colors to make sure that readers can differ between the two. However, i challenged the conventions of real media products by displaying the image on the right hand page where as in many of the magazine double page spreads i have looked at this is done in reverse by displaying the image on the left hand page. However i think that displaying my image on the right hand worked in my case and therefore kept it this way. I also copied the conventions of the main catchline on this page. For example in the example of vibe magazine above the artists name is included in the main catchline 'when MARS attacks'. Mine is similar in presenting the artists name in the main catchline, however takes a more simplistic approach by directly using the artists name. This attracts the reader and gives a clear layout and structure to the page as the reader can see exactly what it is that they will be reading about/ looking at. 

My contents page is probably the page which challenges the conventions of real media products the most. I have gone for a unique and individual style here but tried to keep the page clear and simple by clearly distinguishing between different sections of the page, for example between the images and the font. However it does copy some conventions of real media products, for example, in the way that i use two columns to display the information, with the contents title displayed at the top. The numbers are in line with the font and the page number is displayed on the pictures as is in the example below and in many music magazines. Furthermore, I have copied the conventions of the magazine below by keeping the images and font distinctly clear. 

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Evaluation Question 5

http://laurenamyharriman.wix.com/mediaevaluationq

Visit my Blog/Website to view Evaluation Q 5. 

Evaluation question 7

Evaluation Question 6

What Have You Learnt About Technologies From the Process of Constructing This Product

Evaluation Question 4: Who would be the audience for your media product?

Who would be the audience for your media product?

My target audience for my media product is young adults between the ages of 18-25. My audience would also more predominantly be female.

I have reflected my target audience through my product by several different features. For example, the visual aspects of my product. My artist is a teenage female, and wears clothing similar to that of my target audience. 

Name:  Holly

Age: 19

Interests: Shopping and style; Holly loves following the trends on twitter, Instagram and other social media feeds. She saves her money to buy clothing from her favourite stores such as River Island, Topshop and branded items such as Nike Roche Run’s.  Holly also has a keen interest in music, being one of the subjects she studied throughout her college education; her GCSE’s and her A Levels. She is a keen singer and loves buying albums off  itunes on her iphone produced by her favourite artists such as Kanye Wests Yeezus,  Rihanna’s Loud and Chris Brown’s F.A.M.E. She also enjoys listening to upcoming artists, such as The Weeknd, and has an interest in new sounds and genres such as PBR&B as is produced by such artists.

Style: Holly’s style is typical to the urban trends. She follows her style icons such as Rihanna, and Beyoncé. At times she loves to make a statement in the clothing she wears and in the styles that she follows. For example, she has been very experimental with her hairstyles over the past few years, and has gone from a short black pixie cut, to long blonde locks and extravagant reds. She loves her collection of high-waisted jeans and leather jackets. She also has several items from the Rihanna River Island collection which she still wears on occasions.

Holly is not a typical fan girl. She is very chilled out and laid back. She supports the artists she admires by buying their music on iTunes and other sites, but does not act like an obsessive fan girl. She does not believe she needs attention from anyone else to make her look ‘cool’ but believes her music preferences and her up to date style creates everything she needs to give her an admirable image.

Holly loves going to the cinemas to watch the newest films and to see some of her favourite actors, such as Will Smith. She enjoys socialising with her friends at the weekend, and going out to her favourite restaurants. She enjoys visiting the classy bars when she goes out at the weekend as a pose to the clubs. She finds these places play music more suited to her style and feels that these places have a better atmosphere.  She enjoys showing off her latest buys when she goes out and takes pride in dressing up when she goes out.

Holly will be attending this years Glastonbury, at which Kanye West will headline. She says she will buy a pair of designer Hunters ready for the festival.
Holly is typical of the Urban Tribe as appointed by UK Tribes. Brought up in suburban London, she is a keen follower of trend and style. Occasionally she slips into the tracky tribe, and wears brands such as above mentioned Nike (Rosche's) etc. 

I have chosen this audience for my magazine, after reviewing the final product as I believe that this type of music is most popular among young people, especially fitting in this age range. I have aimed it  more at women as I believe that they will be more attracted by other elements of the magazine such as the fashions and style presented by my artists in it. The interview that is presented in my magazine is also something which will mainly attract females. Due to its friendly and chatty tone, and the artist that is presented.

Evaluation Question 3: Produced on PiktoChart as an infographic

Evaluation question 2

Progression Of My Cover Page

Progression of Cover Page

The photograph displayed at the top of the page is of my first draft. Here, my photo was not adequate as although i liked the photo the artist was no looking at the audience, which created no direct appeal. Also the most important part of the page is the top third, and by having the artist look away this creates no striking part of the image that stands out in the top third. However on my final draft which is displayed underneath, the artist is looking directly at the reader, and the dark brown eyes immediately catch the audiences attention and create a direct appeal. I also changed the title of my magazine throughout the process whilst writing my article. I tried to use a variety of vocabulary to make the article more linguistically interesting and came across the word 'fusion' which i thought sounded like a good magazine title and which i could also relate to the magazine, and which had relevant connotations. Fusion relates to the developing R&B genre and the way different genres of music are being intertwined with the genre to form a new generation of R&B music. It also represents social groups, for example those with the roots of R&B music. The R&B genre was first created in America, predominantly by African Americans who used the music as a form of expression in a time when apartheid still had some significance and presence in society. Therefore fusion represents the developments in society and the integration of different races in society which has allowed the genre to become accessible to multiple ethnicity's. Furthermore, i also altered the font of the masthead and size due to the change in the title. I changed the font on the rest of the page as well and made the decision from looking at my first draft that i wanted all font on the page to be displayed in black. From this my basic colour scheme became black and white, a white a background and black text with the cover artist also dressed in black which created quite a slick look to the magazine cover page. I think the photo creates some contrast however, by the colour of my artists hair and the lipstick that i chose to use on her in the image. I also chose to use a different font for my cover lines after looking at the first draft. Although i liked the font that i used and thought it made a statement in my first draft, i don't think it worked well with the pink stripe spanning the page in the background. Therefore i decided to change this and use a font for the cover page and that matched that of the masthead as i believed this created more consistency across the page.  I kept the secondary cover lines relatively similar in font although changed the text to something more endearing. I also added several plugs/lures down the central right hand side of the page to give some extra information to the audience and to entice them to buy the magazine more. I also changed the positioning of my bar-code, so that it did not detract from the image that i used. My final draft changed quite significantly from my first draft, however i was happy with the changes I made and think that they worked much more effectively than the first draft. 

Changes in the process of creating my contents page

On the top is my final product and the bottom image is of my drafts contents pages. As you can see the style that i chose changed quite significantly between these two. In my draft, my text was too big and did not match up with the numbers. Therefore i adapted this for a font which looked better in a smaller sizing. I also changed my wording 'contents' from the right hand vertical side of the page to displaying it horizontally at the top of the page. I made sure that all text and numbers were in line with each other, whilst also adding extra pages numbers, as on the draft i only included up to a page 14.  I also added two images to the contents instead of one so that there wasn't just one artist throughout my three pages. I also wanted to display the PBR&B aspect of the magazine more and think that the alterations that i made allowed this alternative R&B style to fit in better. I decided not to use the patterning down the left and side of the page, although i thought this did work quite effectively and branded the magazine, by using it in the double page spread as well.

Progression of double page spread

Progression of double page spread from laurenamyharriman

Firstly I made sure that the margins were set in place so that i knew the layout of my page and where it would be appropriate for me to position everything. I then added the name of my magazine to the top corner of both of my pages for advertisement and added the page numbers in each corner also. I also added a black border in which i would display my picture. I made sure that that these were all appropriately spaced and fitted in line with the margins i had set up. Secondly, i added my main picture. This was the only picture that i chose to display in my double page spread. I think that having one striking and bold image works more effectively than two on a page that only features one single artist. Next i added my main title for the double page spread, which was the name of my artist 'Aliyah Mae'. I think that choosing to present the name of my artist here compliments the image on the right and is the most effective in attracting the reader. After this I added some extra information to work as an introduction to the main article below the name of the artist. I also made sure that this was in line with the name of the artist/ title of the article. After this I added my three main columns of text, all of which were displayed on the left hand side of the page. For this design i used inspiration from an edition of vibe magazine, featuring Bruno Mars which can be seen in several pieces of work on this blog. I kept a relatively minimalist design to the page which complimented my idea to keep the magazine looking quite slick and clean cut. I changed the color of the questions to a purple color, which complimented the main image but which also contrasted from the rest of the text so different pieces of the text could be distinguished between. Again, i ensured that the text was in line with the margins and was equally sized and spaced by using photo shops grid tool. Finally, as a finishing touch i added the photography credits to the bottom of the page, to add something extra and to brand the product and to show recognition from my work. As you can see all the main bulk of text on this page is presented in the same font, apart from the article title/name of the artist which is presented in a different font to create some contrast on the page.

Contents page, final draft

Finished Front Cover

Progression Of Contents Page

Double Page Spread Final Draft

Double page spread flat plan

Contents Flat Plan

Flat Plan Front cover

Feedback On First Draft

Feedback from first Draft:
Cover page:
On this page I have had feedback on my image, this includes, re-taking the image to get a better quality photo as it appears quite blurred and also it needs a more direct mode of adress, so the model needs to be looking at the reader. In the image i am currently using the reader is looking down and away from the reader so i need to re-think this image. I also got some positive feedback on the fonts that i chose to use saying that this works well. I got some feedback on the name for my magazine, which said that the same title is used for a charity in the UK, however i do not plan to change this as my idea was original and i have justified the choice for my title and how this links with the genre of music and my magazine as a whole.

Contents Page:
I received some positive feedback for my contents page, such as how the color palette I chose to use was successful. However i also got some positive criticism which will help me to make some changes and amendments. These include aligning my text and page numbers evenly by using a grid on photo shop. I also need to think about the main sell line on my page. Furthermore, i have been told that my cover star 'Aliyah Mae' needs more focus on the contents page so i intend to add some more illustration that involves her.

Double Page Spread: The double page spread was the page I was personally least happy with. Therefore I was interested to see what feedback for improvements could be given for this page. I have been told to link my text and image across the page and to include a pull quote and photo credit. I have also been recommended to change my font size, or color or to highlight questions so that there is a contrast between the questions and answers on my page. Furthermore, i have also been told to brand the magazine e.g: by including the magazine title at the bottom of the page. Lastly, i need to alter the positioning of one of the page numbers on my page.

I intend to use all of these suggestions to improve my work and make it of a better quality, where my product is more viable and realistic.

Further Analysis of Cover Pages

This cover displays an interesting colour theme and choice which I think would suit my genre of magazine well. I like the way that the black, white and yellow/ gold is used throughout the page. It gives quite an urban look to the page.  The image is eye catching yet somehow seems to blend into the background at the same time.

The image on this page contrasts quite significantly to the colors otherwise used in the background. For example in the main image which makes up the main center of visual interest fits the conventions of the genre quite nicely, fitting to the black and white theme, and in the fashion and styles that the artist presents. However in the background a nude pink and baby blue colors are used. I think that this is quite interesting as it is different to the majority of the covers colour schemes i have looked at. This makes it quite individual and as a result makes it stand out more.  

PBR&B Aspect of my magazine

PBR&B has several different terms, but is mainly a term used to classify an emerging and stylistic approach to contemporary R&B. This takes into account the fusion of different genres of music with R&B, such as alternative and indie and hip hop. This is something which i wish to account for in my music magazine as this was the main inspiration behind my title. I wish to include some elements that i have looked at more independently, such as clash magazine and Q which i have done some evaluations of earlier in the project. Some artists that i have looked at to inspire this aspect of the magazine include Frank Ocean, Miguel and The Weeknd. I will look at some of the styles also and try and reflect this in my final product.  

Some of the styles seen by such artists that belong to the sub genre of PBR&B seem to have more quirky styles. Some of these make the styles seem more similar to that that would be worn by alternative and indie stars and some from hip hop. Therefore i will try and represent this in some way, possibly through the use of images and my artists in my final product.

I also think that this example of a double page spread represents one of the areas of the R&B genre I have been looking at. It keeps a relatively minimalist design, with nothing too brash or bold, yet uses elements to create contrast such as the red used above an otherwise black and white background. I like the arrangement of the text around the image and the font used for the main title of the article. The main part of the image is still presented on the left hand side of the page, with all of the text presented on the right hand page. The page is slightly less clean cut as the text is not as aligned in this example, yet it still has a neat and finished look which is aided by the positioning of texts and the image around one another.

Further Analysis of Double Page Spread

I like this double page spread and would be happy if i could produce something similar to this for my final product. I like the way that one whole page is dedicated to the image, which is of Lady Gaga on the left hand page. I like the way in which the page is kept simplistic by using black and white as is also used in the main image. I like the way that some contrast is created on the page by displaying a large, red L across the page. This may be something that i can mimic in my final design to create some contrast and a center of visual interest on the page. However i am not too keen on the way the artists name is presented, yet i think this is made up for by the large L in the middle of the page which is representative of the artist. I think that this would work well for the genre of my magazine as it is representative of one of the styles of the genre i have talked about throughout, which includes a slick, clean cut and classy style, which i think can be well represented by the colours black and white.

Further Analysis of Cover Pages

This cover also represents the slick and clean look cut I am looking to produce in my music magazine. The cover is kept very simplistic and again follows a minimalist design. I particularly like this cover as it combines two aspects of the genre of R&B that I am looking at. The image and the artist used displays the more daring aspects of the genre, for example like some of the fashion and trends we see in stars of the genre. Whilst at the same time the general design of the page displays other aspects of the genre that I have mentioned previously.  Most of the information in this page is displayed in the top third of the page which correlates with the rule of thirds idea. The mast head is in a striking and bold font and the colour scheme of the page is kept minimal, much like the design. Most of the other important information and the image is displayed in the center of the page, creating a lot of negative space in the background. 

Further Analysis of Cover Pages

This is quite an interesting cover as it is very simplistic and follows a minimalist design. The image is interesting as it doesn't follow the typical conventions of an image on the front cover of a magazine. Usually the artist is looking directly out of the page instead of looking away, in order to create a direct appeal and synthetic relationship with the audience. This cover interested me as one of the images which i have taken for my draft magazine is similar to this. I like the image however do not think it would be satisfactory as the artist is not looking directly out of the page. It is interesting to see how this edition of variety magazine has used other features to compliment this image. Although i do not wish to follow this style directly for my final magazine it would be interesting to look at it and see if i could make it work. I like how the colour scheme on the page is kept very minimal which keeps the magazine looking slick and neat and tidy. I prefer this to having a magazine with lots of clustered information on. The masthead has an interesting font and probably stands out more than the image in the way that the cover page is presented. It also means that the font at the bottom stands out well. The black and white editing of the image is also interesting as this is done to match the text that is displayed over and around the image, again adding to the minimalist design. I think this kind of style may work well on my magazine, hence why i took an interest in this front cover. I believe that my chosen genre has two quite contrasting sub categories. One aspect of the genre concerns being bold, being different and following quite brash trends such as we'd expect to see from artists like Nicki Minaj and Rihanna. However another aspect of the genre concerns being classy and slick, and would involve the use of other colours such as black and white to give a clean cut and neat look to the page, a little bit like this cover does.

Further analysis of contents pages

This contents page is taken from vibe magazine. I have chosen to look at a selection of contents pages from vibe magazine, as it is an R&B magazine and therefore i could use some of the aspects from this magazine to create my R&B/ PBR&B magazine. The page is kept in a black and white theme predominantly which is again typical of the style i have mentioned throughout several times; it creates quite a clean cut and slick looking style to the magazine and is something i intend to try and create throughout my magazine. The image is eye catching and is accentuated by the use of colours in the background. The main title, 'contents', really stands out above the background and among the other black text that surrounds it. There is also quite a lot of negative space, however i believe that this highlights the image and makes it stand out more.

Further analysis of contents pages

This is a copy of a contents page from vibe magazine. I like the style of this contents page and think it would be a good style for me to take inspiration from. Vibe itself is an R&B magazine and the styles seen in this magazine could be something I could replicate in my final product. It follows the black and white style that i have looked at quite a lot throughout my research, which creates a clean cut and slick look, which is quite representative of the laid back persona of those in the Urban Tribes that would read this kind of magazine. The image makes up the main center of visual interest and the red used in the image above the black and white image creates some contrast on the page. The text is kept in line and small. This contents page still keeps quite a minimalist design and contains quite a lot of negative space, however i believe this works efficiently as it highlights and accentuates other features of the page more, such as the image and the 'contents' title. I also like the way the magazine is branded quite cleverly by using the grey and black background to create a 'v' shape, representative of the Vibe title of the magazine.

Looking at photography styles and the way that artists are represented

For some of my research i thought it would be useful to look at photography of some of the artists my product would be based around and inspired by and the way this photography represents the artist. This may help me when taking my photo's and to find more effective ways of producing my images. Firstly I looked at these images of R&B artist, Chris Brown. The styles in this photography are interesting, for example a lot of black is used which gives me confidence that my main idea for a predominantly black and white colour scheme will work. The images produced contrast quite significantly, for example the top image is more controversial and different. The pose he is pulling makes the image more light hearted where as the bottom image is quite serious and sincere. I also find it interesting how both images are presented in black and white. This is typical of one of the styles that I am thinking about producing which is quite a clean cut and classy looking style. Looking at images like this also helps me to see that my images need to be thought through, such as the mise en scene and how this will affect the way that my final product is received and the quality of the images is another important factor. 

Golden Spiral Rule

  A rule which is important to consider when taking my photography is the golden spiral . This involves something which should lead the eye to the centre of the image. This could be a singular lines or several subjects.

Golden Triangles

A rule which is important to consider is the golden triangles rule. This is more convenient for photos which have diagonal lines. There are three triangles and as long as three subjects with approximately equal sizes in these triangles are made then the rule should be kept.

Rule Of Thirds

1. The rule of thirds is an important feature of photography which i should look at when producing my work. The rule of thirds works by aligning a subject with the guide lines and intersection points, which split the image into different distinct parts. It is important to look at this rule when taking images, as if this rule is followed the image will be more effective. The viewers eye is naturally drawn to certain parts of the image and the rule of thirds is important in considering this.
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Double Page Spread Flat Plans

I looked at several different designs for my double page spread flat plans. I like all of these and can see potential in them all. However my favorite on is on the top right hand side of the page. I like how an image takes up the entire side of one of the pages as i think this stands out and is more eye catching than just several small images spotted around the page. I also like the way that the title of the page is displayed in the top left hand corner as i think it gives the page a clearer layout than putting it further down the page.

Draft article

Draft article for media coursework:

Once hidden in the diversity of suburban London, Aliyah Mae always had a passion for music. She thrived on the thought of one day having a successful career in the music industry and collaborating with some of her favourite stars. But now her dream has become a reality and she is embracing every aspect of the life she once used to dream of. With 3 hit singles and 1 chart topping UK album ‘Release’, Aliyah Mae has the fame, the fortune and the fascination of a huge and dedicated fan base.  She is one of the many upcoming UK talents to broaden the horizons for the R&B genre, however the journey to stardom hasn’t always come easy. Scope caught up with Aliyah to gain some insight into her hectic lifestyle, as one of the most exciting, upcoming young prodigy’s of the R&B genre in the UK today.

So Aliyah, what does it feel like to know the huge popularity of your music across the country over the last few months?

It feels amazing, it’s everything I’ve ever dreamed of, and it’s all happened so quickly. I wanted to make music that people could relate to, that made people feel up-lifted and happy, but that people could also relate to no matter what mood they may be in. I wanted to create variety on my album and I think that this has been one of the major features that has contributed to its success.

Does the album title ‘release’ have any meaning or relevance to you?

Definitely. Everything in my album is a reflection of myself. How I feel, my thoughts, my opinions. I wanted to make something real, something that I could use to show people who Aliyah Mae really was. I’ve always been so shy and struggled to find a voice, and this album has allowed me to express myself in so many ways.  And that’s why I chose ‘Release’ for my album title, because this for me was a release, it was me being me and being able to share that with everybody.  I hope that my music can be a release for others as well; I like to think there’s something for everybody.

What are your favourite tracks on the album and why?

That’s an excellent question but my honest answer is that I couldn’t name any because they’re all unique in their own way and I enjoy listening back to every one of them, which for me shows I have been successful. I love heartbeat, it’s extremely catchy and its very uplifting, it’s the kind of song you love to listen to on a Friday night when returning home from work, ready for the weekend. I always remember them songs from when I was younger and they were always my favourite. So if I had to name one, it would probably be this track.

We know how many new artists are coming into the R&B industry. Is this a threat to you or do you see it as progression for your genre?

Of course there is always going to be some competition between artists within the same area, but healthy competition is what makes you thrive to create better music. It’s what drives the industry and makes people more passionate about the tracks they produce. It inspires me when I see some of the new young stars like myself breaking into the industry. The more the merrier I say.

So who are some of the stars that inspired you when you were younger and gave you your passion for music?

I loved so many different types of music and there is so many people that inspired me. But of course I have my favourites and they deserve every credit for giving me such a keen passion for music. I loved bands such as Destiny’s Child and Mary J Blige was always one of my favourites. As well as Rihanna, Beyonce, Nelly, Usher, Neyo and many more. They’re all people whose music will inspire me and will be reflected in the tracks that I produce.

Do you think that one day you will get the opportunity to collaborate with one of your inspirations?

That is one of my ultimate goals, it’s one of the indicators that I will have reached my full potential in my music career. It’s still a dream at the minute, but it’s very achievable and I hope as I continue to produce tracks that I will get more recognition from those who have inspired me. Never say never.

Any ideas for your future work?

In all honesty, I’m still caught up in the buzz and excitement of my album reaching number 1.I’ve always got ideas, I’m an artist, so my work never stops. It’s a part of my life. But I couldn’t possibly tell on my ideas. That would be ruining the surprise.  

1st Draft

Looking at Photography

I have looked at some photography of R&B star Beyonce to get some inspiration and ideas for my magazine. In top image a direct appeal is created towards the audience. She is looking directly out of the page and is pulling quite a sultry pose to attract the audience. The clothes that she is wearing almost blend into the background, making her skin seem to glow more and adding more emphasis to her hair in the image. This therefore pulls all attention to her face and body, and removes distractions from the clothing that she is wearing. This adds to the intensity to the image. I think that this is quite an interesting technique to have used. The bottom image is taken from vogue magazine, as can be seen by the branding at the bottom of the image. The black background again adds more emphasis to the red colours and creates a sultry and seductive feel to the image. 

From looking at these two images i have concluded several things. For starters the use of colours in the background of an image can add intensity and increased focus to other certain parts of the image. Furthermore both images use features of the male gaze to attract the viewer. Both are quite seductive and present the artist in quite a sexual way. This is added to by the mise en scene in the bottom image, for example the use of red and the connotations this has. Sex appeal has quite a lot of significance in the R&B genre, therefore this may be important to consider.