OF all my teenage phases, my stint as a 5 Seconds of Summer mega-fan is by far the most embarrassing. After stumbling across the melancholic black and white lyric video for the band’s song Amnesia in 2014, 13-year-old me was hooked.
It wasn’t long before I found myself immersed in an online community obsessed with these four Australian boys and willing to do anything to help further catapult them towards pop super-stardom. Powered by Tumblr and hormones, I talked, dreamt and thought about nothing else.
This level of dedication and devotion is nothing new - in fact my fangirl era was quite mild in comparison to the lengths to which some fans will go. However, what is new is the reaction of some celebrities to this ‘superfan’ behaviour. Most recently, American singer-songwriter Chappell Roan posted a statement on Instagram to voice her concerns about fans overstepping the mark.
The artist’s comments have sparked debate about where the line truly is when it comes to the relationship between artists and their fans. This has very much split opinion with some believing fame and fans go hand in hand - you cannot have one without the other and claiming that, whether Roan intended to or not she has traded privacy and wellbeing for stardom.
Trying to keep a low profile whilst your career is skyrocketing simply isn’t feasible - this isn’t an episode of Hannah Montana. But I think there is a difference between celebrities who court the press and public attention and people like Roan who have a talent and just want to share it. Which begs the question, should there always be a ‘price to pay’ for fame?
This was echoed in by Winona Ryder in a recent interview with Esquire when she was discussing the increasing popularity of Ireland’s own Paul Mescal, where she said: “I loved Normal People so much and then I saw these paparazzi pictures of (Paul Mescal) going to the store in his shorts. And I really felt like, ‘This poor guy’. This great actor who did this amazing thing and now he’s getting followed by photographers.” Now, with the impending release of Gladiator II, Mescal’s career is predicted to go stratospheric so being ‘papped’ in his shorts is likely to be the least of his concerns.
Historically, fans have always struggled to toe the line between admiration and obsession. In fact I recently interviewed former mod and pal of the Rolling Stones, James Hurst, who gave an account of the band’s gig at the Ulster Hall in 1964 when fans stormed the stage and pinned Mick Jagger to the floor…
@chappellroan Do not assume this is directed at someone or a specific encounter. This is just my side of the story and my feelings.
♬ original sound - chappell roan
Clearly today’s problems are exacerbated by social media as this provides an opportunity for fans to interact directly with celebrities. This helps foster a (false) sense of intimacy and familiarity with them often referred to as a parasocial relationship which only blurs the boundaries further.
With the impending release of Gladiator II, Paul Mescal’s career is predicted to go stratospheric so being ‘papped’ in his shorts is likely to be the least of his concerns
The recent foiled plot to kidnap, rape and murder TV presenter Holly Willoughby is a profoundly sobering example of the risks associated with being a ‘public figure’. There have also been numerous reported cases involving celebrity stalking.
Roan may have sparked some controversy when she candidly asked fans to refrain from approaching her in public but her fears and anxieties are not unfair or unfounded.
For me it’s the actions of the few ruining it for the many. Being a fan used to mean following, supporting and adoring from afar because – as the old adage advises ‘never meet your heroes’, to which I can concur after attending a 5 Seconds of Summer soundcheck…
