Sing Us a Song, Piano Woman
Female Fans and the Music of Tori Amos
By (author) Adrienne Trier-Bieniek
Publication date:
06 June 2013Length of book:
186 pagesPublisher
Scarecrow PressDimensions:
235x159mm6x9"
ISBN-13: 9780810885509
Sing Us a Song, Piano Woman: Female Fans and the Music of Tori Amos explores the many-layered relationships female fans build with feminist musicians in general and with Tori Amos, in particular. Using original interview research with more than forty fans of Tori Amos, multiple observer-participant experiences at Amos’s concerts, and critical content analysis of Amos’s lyrics and larger body of work, Adrienne Trier-Bieniek utilizes a combination of gender, emotions, music, and activism to unravel the typecasts plaguing female fans. Trier-Bieniek aggressively challenges the popular culture stereotypes that have painted all female fans as screaming, crying teenage girls who are unable to control themselves when a favorite (generally male) performer occupies the stage.
In stunning contrast, admirers of Tori Amos comprise a more introspective category of fan. Sing Us a Song, Piano Woman examines the wide range of stories from these listeners, exploring how Amos’s female fans are unique because Amos places the experiences of women at the center of her music. Tori Amos’s fan base is considered devoted because of the deeply emotional, often healing, connection they have to her music, an aspect that has been overlooked, particularly in sociological and cultural research on gender, emotions and music.
Tori Amos’s female fans as a social phenomenon are vital for understanding the multi-layered relationships women can have with female singer/songwriters. At a time when superficial women dominate public media presentations, from the Kardashians to the “Real Housewives,” the relationship between Tori Amos and her fans illustrates the continuous search by women for female performers who challenge patriarchal standards in popular culture. Trier-Bieniek’s research serves as a springboard for further study of women in pop culture whose purpose is to empower and provoke their fans, as well as change society.
In stunning contrast, admirers of Tori Amos comprise a more introspective category of fan. Sing Us a Song, Piano Woman examines the wide range of stories from these listeners, exploring how Amos’s female fans are unique because Amos places the experiences of women at the center of her music. Tori Amos’s fan base is considered devoted because of the deeply emotional, often healing, connection they have to her music, an aspect that has been overlooked, particularly in sociological and cultural research on gender, emotions and music.
Tori Amos’s female fans as a social phenomenon are vital for understanding the multi-layered relationships women can have with female singer/songwriters. At a time when superficial women dominate public media presentations, from the Kardashians to the “Real Housewives,” the relationship between Tori Amos and her fans illustrates the continuous search by women for female performers who challenge patriarchal standards in popular culture. Trier-Bieniek’s research serves as a springboard for further study of women in pop culture whose purpose is to empower and provoke their fans, as well as change society.
In Sing Us a Song, Piano Woman: Female Fans and the Music of Tori Amos, sociologist Adrienne Trier-Bieniek examines the myriad ways in which fans—particularly women–identify with female singer-songwriters like Amos and how these fans turn to her music for therapeutic purposes. Through her own interviews with more than 40 fans, critical analysis of Amos’ lyrics and examination of the life experiences that shaped the artist (and person) Amos is today, the author attempts to unravel this phenomenon. . . .The book focuses not just on the therapeutic uses of music, but also addresses the topics of gender, activism (such as Amos’ own involvement with RAINN, the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) and the methods by which female performers navigate—and oppose—the many limiting stereotypes of women so prevalent in pop culture. Ultimately, Sing Us a Song, Piano Woman shines a spotlight on the motivation and experiences of female fans, an audience often overlooked in traditional studies of music and fandom.