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Ten pounds of make up? Check. Outraaageous hair? Check. Obligatory piercing? Check.
The above image is that of Audrey Kitching. If you're new to the Internet community, you probably have no idea who that is, and you may even be put off by the image for the bubblegum-edge clash. If you're a regular Internet surfer who is into the kind of music discussed on AbsolutePunk.net, then you've probably heard of Audrey Kitching. Well, maybe not actually her, but someone just like her; you probably know what a scene queen is.
However, before we can get into a discussion of the scene queen, we must define what, exactly, the scene is. The scene is an idea that started in the late 90s for most of the people who will be reading this; it was a community of people joined together to share the love of music. If you saw the band Thursday in 2002, you would know what the scene was. There was a sense of community and a genuine love for creative music rather than the cookie-cutter dance-pop bands that are currently plaguing the scene. Today, thanks to the Internet and rampant Myselfism, it has degenerated into a popularity contest where the music is a springboard and an excuse to let those displaced by the boy band implosion of the new millenium find an edgy way to remain shallow and vapid, a way to conform to individuality.
Urban Dictionary lists various different definitions for scene queen, but I have come up with a pretty good definition of what a scene queen is.
Scene Queen (n): One who attempts to make a name for herself in the "scene" through exploitative and superficial means, whether it be posing provocatively for social networking sites and whoring herself out for the maximum amount of friends/devotees possible, dating a member of a popular band, and/or being blatantly and overly controversial in an attempt to be heard in an increasingly crowded Internet marketplace. Must wear copious amounts of make up and have ridiculously impractical hair.
Judging by the above definition and the above picture, it is clear to see that Miss Kitching is a scene queen. As one of the most famous of the lot, she rules over an impressionable Buzznet demographic of teenage girls with self-esteem issues who dream to be beautiful and to be in touch with all of their favorite bands. But what has given her this fame? Surely there must be work put into becoming a famous scene queen, sponsored by clothing lines and make up companies for their appeal to youngsters.
If you have the work ethic of Paris Hilton, you have the potential to be a scene queen. I'm ignorant because I've never tried, but I've met several and know the routine. As Jeffree Star puts it, the key to success is "a constant update" on your Internet identity. If you can keep your glam pictures fresh and updated so your fans have something to worship you over, you're gold. Random videos of you enjoying the night life with your girls are also a smart decision, as they will show your insecure fans just how amazing it is to be you with the constant partying and fun without an ounce of work!
But, while this behavior is great for the person abusing it, they are essentially raping the scene of the ideals it was built upon.
The scene was the way to break away from the pressures of popular society and to just be yourself. In the glory days of Drive-Thru Records, no one outside of those who could name every artist on the Drive-Thru roster could name a single artist on the Drive-Thru roster. Those bands belonged to those who knew about this underground movement. This was when emo was still a hated buzz word instead of a fashion statement/lifestyle. This was when the only fashion that mattered was showing support for your favorite band and whatever else was popular. It did not take an hour to prepare to see your favorite band; you went because you wanted to hear the music, not be part of a fashion contest. Scene queens have ushered in an era of style over substance, where people have started copying this in order to fit in, completely bastardizing the scene that once was. Instead of whatever hair, you can now catch people who have spent way too much time attempting to have the biggest hair in the room in order to make themselves stand out; it's like house shows have devolved into My Super Sweet 16. Unfortunately, too many people attempt this these days and, once again, people conform to individuality. This Myselfist attitude is one that is a distraction and totally demeaning to the scene that came before it.
And it is this style over substance attitude that is causing the most detriment to the scene, as it is affecting the music. Metro Station, The Maine, The Medic Droid, and all of the other synth-laden bands that want you to dance and look exactly the same are linked in with the phenomenon of the scene queen. Yes, I understand that dancing can be fun. I also understood that it was fun when it was only Head Automatica and a handful of other bands doing it. And even they didn't look exactly the same.
Q: What band can be found below?
A: Every band that has emerged in the past two years in the scene.
His shirt even says party. It doesn't get any more predictable.
Scene queens reinforce the idea that the scene is most importantly about what clothes you wear and what other people think of you rather than the music that birthed the community. Worse, they are succeeding in corrupting impressionable teenagers into following (sometimes even worshiping) this lifestyle choice.
As someone who writes for one of the biggest alternative music websites (with the best community) on the Internet and also works for a social networking site that appeals to those who have been seduced by superficiality, I see the scene deteriorating before my eyes every day. If you are a fan of a scene queen, I would love to know why. Please feel free to respond in the comments.
Next: The Problem With the Scene: Dance Parties
The Problem With the Scene in no way reflects the thoughts and/or opinions of AbsolutePunk.net. This column is a way to reach out and educate those unfamiliar with the origins of the scene to see what an amazing thing it started out as, and to familiarize why it has been bastardized. I harbor no ill will toward any examples used in this writing. If you would like to contact me, please click here. |
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