It seems that it's hard for some pop artists to find the right balance between pushing the limits and taking it too far (assuming some of that isn't just hunger for publicity). Lily Allen is the one now defending some of the choices she made with her dancers in the newly released video for "Hard Out Here," the most recent track from the artist since 2009.
It's clear that Allen's objective was to highlight the misogynistic and sexist aspects of the music business and pop culture. She references Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" pretty explicitly. But there has been some backlash. Allen is speaking up by putting together a full explanation on Twitter:
Privilege,Superiority and Misconceptions
1. If anyone thinks for a second that I requested specific ethnicities for the video, they're wrong.
2. If anyone thinks that after asking the girls to audition, I was going to send any of them away because of the colour of their skin, they're wrong.
3. The message is clear. Whilst I don't want to offend anyone. I do strive to provoke thought and conversation. The video is meant to be a lighthearted satirical video that deals with objectification of women within modern pop culture. It has nothing to do with race, at all.
4. If I could dance like the ladies can, it would have been my arse on your screens; I actually rehearsed for two weeks trying to perfect my twerk, but failed miserably. If I was a little braver, I would have been wearing a bikini too, but I do not and I have chronic cellulite, which nobody wants to see. What I'm trying to say is that me being covered up has nothing to do with me wanting to disassociate myself from the girls, it has more to do with my own insecurities and I just wanted to feel as comfortable as possible on the shoot day.
5. I'm not going to apologise because I think that would imply that I'm guilty of something, but I promise you this, in no way do I feel superior to anyone, except paedophiles, rapists murderers etc., and I would not only be surprised but deeply saddened if I thought anyone came away from that video feeling taken advantage of,or compromised in any way.
Chances are this "controversy" won't make as big of a splash as the recent Miley uproar.
Watch the video for "Hard Out Here":
