By: Meghan Mahaffey
I am the first guilty victim of falling into a parasocial relationship. I will admit that, most recently, I have grown to believe that Doechii and I would be close friends if the opportunity presented itself. Seeing a musician’s social media content mixed in with that of my close friends constructs a figment of a bond with a famous person that does not exist.
Modern music fan culture has been revolutionized by integrating social media into every facet of the industry. Artists’ connections with their fan bases allow for more personalization in their work. Fans feel they can connect with lyrics knowing the creators’ personal experiences. However, many instances have been of perceived closeness to artists going poorly. Recently, Best New Artist Grammy winner Chappell Roan has admitted that listeners’ warped perceptions of their relationships with her have gotten out of hand. According to the BBC, the artist “has spoken out against abusive fans, calling out ‘creepy behavior’ from people who harass her in airport queues and ‘stalk’ her parents’ home.” People think that because they receive an increased amount of information from the artists they love they are entitled to all of it, and sometimes put the artists in uncomfortable situations.
The phenomenon is a very new one, given the access that fans have to musician’s lives via social media. Artists and their fan bases from even 20 years ago did not experience the same connection that is so common today, social media clearly having a hand in this shift. In addition, music artists rely heavily on multiple streams of recognition that other industry professionals, such as actors, do not. According to Student Life, “Artists have to rely heavily on self-promotion (even with labels) and touring because streaming and physical sales are not enough to make a living. This causes musical artists to interact with their fans more intimately, which creates stronger parasocial relationships than those with actors or visual artists.” Music fans more often toe the line of fan and friend, sometimes creating confusion around the appropriate way to interact with the artists they adore.
While I likely will continue to engage heavily with artists via Instagram and other social media platforms, I urge myself and other music enthusiasts to remind ourselves of the necessary distance and privacy that they deserve from fans.