Feminism and Objectification in Carioca Funk: A Case Study Analysis of “Rainha da Favela” by Ludmilla. Poncelin de Raucourt. 2211084.

Abstract

This thesis explores how female Brazilian funk music (BFM) artists represent themselves in video formats, specifically in relation to the objectification of the female body and the male gaze. BFM is a marginalised genre partly due to its highly sexualised use of lyrics by either male or female artists but mainly due to it having negative connotations, in particular from white upper-class groups in Brazil. The first chapter provides a contextualised explanation of BFM and an overview of feminism in popular music and in the genre followed by the main theoretical angle used including the works of Fredrickson and Roberts on objectification theory and the male gaze theory by Mulvey. The second chapter uses secondary case studies on female BFM artists music videos before diving into the case study of Brazilian singer-songwriter Ludmilla’s music video “Rainha da Favela” using Vernallis’s book and the male gaze theory. With Brazil having structural racism and being a misogynistic country, I decided to only shed light on female artists’ and bypass male artists’ due to the male-dominated music industry. The study highlights Ludmilla’s portrayal of herself as the queen of the favela, using her sexuality as a weapon, and emphasises the significance of her professional freedom as co-director and choreographer. It also examines the need for a more nuanced understanding of gender roles in music videos, as they can both reinforce and challenge gender stereotypes and inequalities. This study provides valuable insights into the representation of female artists in music videos, contributing to ongoing discussions on gender and media representation. However, it did not look into the effects it may have on the viewer, which suggests a need for further research.