For my 5th portfolio post, I am looking at one of the latest singles from the band PVRIS, which happens to be my favorite band. Analyzing their song “Monster” is a particularly fun post for me to make being that I have been familiar with the band and their lead singer Lynn Gunn since 2014. As I was working on this post, the official Instagram page for the band was wiped clear of their old posts and their profile picture (which was simply PVRIS spelled out in red on a black background) to a profile picture of the lead signer Lynn Gunn. This change is actually very symbolic of Lynn and her identity as the face of PVRIS. Within the last year, the three member band became two members, and Lynn (the only female in the group) stepped forward and took the well deserved credit of being the driving creative force behind the band. The other two members backed her up in finally taking her share of the credit, and Lynn has been very insistent that although she is the member that writes everything, sings everything, and plays quite a few of the instruments, she wouldn’t be able to do it without the rest of the band and their support. I think this is a very interesting example of taking the different gender traits of the Sex Role Theory and applying it to the context of females in rock/alternative music. Lynn demonstrates assertiveness, self-sufficiency (to an extent of course), leadership, and dominance by allowing herself to openly take credit for being the driving creative force behind the band. However, she takes credit in a soft-spoken/passive and compassionate way, still allowing much credit to be taken by her band-mates. This still demonstrates her more feminine traits.
Analyzing the lyrics of their new single don’t express much about Lynn’s gender identity, or any gender identity for that matter, but the way in which she sings can still be analyzed by the Sex Role Theory. Her voice is very harsh, loud, and forceful. She forcefully and with confrontation sings “how could you let them turn you into a monster? Your bridge started to burn when you ran all across, I guess you never learn till you live and you lost it.” Her voice in the song greatly demonstrates her strong personality, her willingness to take a stand, and actually comes off quite aggressive in the way she so loudly shouts the lyrics. Heavy breathing can be heard in the background of the song further accentuating the aggressively forceful lyrics.
Looking at Lynn Gunn’s personal Instagram, it is clear she identifies and expresses herself in a more masculine way. She keeps her hair shoulder-length and styles it different ways, but she keeps any makeup she wears pretty minimal and natural. There isn’t a single photo uploaded of her wearing a dress or more feminine attire; instead, she wears lots of pants and trousers, cropped tank tops that resemble men’s muscle tanks/tees and undershirts. Her Instagram also reveals a lack of color that is associated with specific genders. She sticks to a monochromatic scale of tints and shades, white, gray, and black- with hints of red or snakeskin pattern here and there.
Overall, Lynn Gunn represents herself as a more masculine female through her music as the leader of PVRIS, the way in which she uses her voice in her band, and in her physical expression.
Shared by: Em von der Ruhr
Image Credit: https://www.instagram.com/lynngvnn/?hl=en