So...Avril Lavigne has a new music video out for a new song of hers called "Hello Kitty". There's apparently a bit of debate as to whether or not it's racist, however can we just point out that Avril still looks like a child? Celebs have a secret fountain of youth and they're holding out on us normal folk. I want in on the secret and I want in now. But on to the subject at hand...
I watched the video and my very first thought was "what..the..hell..did I just watch." However, two minutes later I was bopping my head and singing the chorus to myself. It's a catchy little song. "But isn't it racist?", one may ask. Personally, I don't think it is. I can't say what Avril's intentions with the song were, I'm not her. But from an outside perspective I don't see the video as something that was made to make fun of Japanese culture. I think Avril was just emerging herself into Japanese culture. "Kawaii" is a term that represents "cuteness" in Japanese culture and it's actually a huge part of Japanese pop culture, entertainment, clothing, behavior, etc. And seeing as Hello Kitty originated in Japan, it's kind of silly to say that Avril's video was racist. Hello Kitty is probably the biggest icon of "Kawaii" there is. Just because Avril's a little white blonde girl participating in Japanese culture doesn't mean she's racist. Is Eminem racist by participating in Hip Hop culture? Macklemore? Noooo. So everyone chill out and start bumpin' to this song in your car. I feel like it'll be a great summer jam for me. And it will forever be playing in my head...Come come kitty kitty you're so pretty prettyyy!!
I watched the video and my very first thought was "what..the..hell..did I just watch." However, two minutes later I was bopping my head and singing the chorus to myself. It's a catchy little song. "But isn't it racist?", one may ask. Personally, I don't think it is. I can't say what Avril's intentions with the song were, I'm not her. But from an outside perspective I don't see the video as something that was made to make fun of Japanese culture. I think Avril was just emerging herself into Japanese culture. "Kawaii" is a term that represents "cuteness" in Japanese culture and it's actually a huge part of Japanese pop culture, entertainment, clothing, behavior, etc. And seeing as Hello Kitty originated in Japan, it's kind of silly to say that Avril's video was racist. Hello Kitty is probably the biggest icon of "Kawaii" there is. Just because Avril's a little white blonde girl participating in Japanese culture doesn't mean she's racist. Is Eminem racist by participating in Hip Hop culture? Macklemore? Noooo. So everyone chill out and start bumpin' to this song in your car. I feel like it'll be a great summer jam for me. And it will forever be playing in my head...Come come kitty kitty you're so pretty prettyyy!!