Being Real By Being Me: Authenticity Production and Consumption Between an Independent Artist and Her Musical Followers

Sammanfattning: ‘Keeping it real’ is a common expression of authenticity in the music business, especially in subcultures such as hip-hop and reggae. By examining the dialogically constructed authenticity between an independent hip-hop and reggae artist and her audience referred to as musical followers which takes place on a stage oscillating between web-based and non web-based contexts, this thesis investigates how this authenticity informs and influences the processes of music creation, art production and artist identity. I will argue that authenticity is constructed by the artist deconstructing the expected connections between on the one hand particular cultural belongings and ethnic origin, and on the other hand a certain appearance, style, use of language, values and behavior. Thus, global and transnational perspectives play their part in the authenticity construction. Emotions and affects are depicted as a driving force in the thesis as well as the construction of authenticity. This study suggests a new fandom created between the online, offline, private and public contexts where support plays an important role in identifying as a fan and a Friend. The study also provides insights into how these changed conditions of the processes of music creation, art production and artist identity due to authenticity construction can be benefitial to various parts of the music business. This is an ethnographic study based primarily on participant observation, and interviews with the artist and her audience. Other materials include articles written about the artist during the fieldwork period, her music, social media content, and images from the artist’s album cover. Theoretical perspectives used include cultural analysis, constructivism and the cultural study of music.