Assignment 1: Empowerment and Commodification: A Critical Analysis of Tiwa Savage's "Koroba" in the Male Gaze and the Oppositional Gaze Context

 Empowerment and Commodification: A Critical Analysis of Tiwa Savage's "Koroba" in the Male Gaze and the Oppositional Gaze Context

The "Koroba" video by Tiwa Savage shows a nuanced interaction between empowerment and commodification based on Mulvey's theory of the male gaze. With the visual medium being the most significant driver of societal norms today, the portrayal of women, particularly women of color, becomes a point of inquiry. The manner in which Tiwa Savage is positioned in "Koroba" is instructive about how her body and her work are marketed, prompting admiration as well as examination.

In "Koroba," the camera holds on Tiwa Savage's body, utilizing close shots and holding shots that can be read as objectifying. The male gaze, as it has been described by Laura Mulvey, positions women as objects to be looked at, reducing them to mere visual pleasure for a largely male viewer. In some scenes, the camera lingers on her curves and movements, largely prioritizing her physicality above her artistic performance. This stereotyping can take away from the message of the music and her artist persona, reducing it to her being desirable.

The choreography further complicates this dynamic. Tiwa moves assertively and elegantly but in a manner that is typically designed to attract and involve the viewer, in accordance with music's expectations of the industry. This brings a contradiction of agency: while her presence is assertive, it is also within the traditionally male-defined sphere. The tension of empowerment and objectification can be sensed, as assertive movement of hers is still meant to fulfill the male gaze.

The brightly colored backdrops in "Koroba" synthesize elements of Nigerian culture with urban style, creating a visually stunning setting. While these backdrops have the potential to celebrate Nigerian culture, they risk commodifying the culture for consumption. The video shows highly colored markets, streets full of life, and densely textured settings that are a delight to see but are seen as a performance of culture being done for the global marketplace. This portrayal is problematic in terms of authenticity and cultural appropriation, as the spirit of Nigerian culture is situated within one of commerce.

The aesthetics contribute to the visual attractiveness of the video but overpower deeper storytelling around empowerment and culture. In presenting Nigerian culture, the video may inadvertently reinforce stereotypes, allowing the audience to access a cleansed cultural product that meets the ideals of the mainstream. This commodification renders it challenging to represent Black Nigerian femininity as rich cultural identities get watered down to aesthetic choices.

From a Black feminist perspective, bell hooks' theory of the oppositional gaze allows the viewer to read Tiwa Savage's performance critically. An oppositional gaze allows Black women to turn against the objectifying tendency of the male gaze and look instead at the artist's autonomy and message. A Black feminist viewer might read Tiwa's performance as one of resistance, in which she uses her body and art to escape the conventions of society and to define herself.

This rethinking gives a more meaningful understanding of her as a cultural icon who works at intersections of culture, gender, and race. Instead of engaging with Tiwa as a simply desired object, a Black feminist critique esteems her as a multifaceted artist who resists stereotypes but also gets engaged in the business aspect of the music industry. Such an engagement allows space for a more meaningful reading of "Koroba," where listeners are able to find the richness of her representation.

Tiwa Savage's representation in "Koroba" is a perfect reflection of the ongoing struggle between empowerment and commodification in Black Nigerian womanhood as she is represented in popular culture. She is assertive and powerful, but her representation also reflects the needs of the music industry itself, which favors appearance over reality. This is so stark a contrast to the extent to which Black women's identities are being celebrated and commodified within popular media.
Empowerment in this context is seen through Tiwa's confronting performance and her ability to command attention. She is using her space to talk and connect with her fans, something that can be empowering for many viewers. That empowerment comes, though, with the realities of commodification in which her image is sold and packaged in a marketplace in which profit, not authenticity, will sometimes override.

Tiwa Savage's representation in "Koroba" also resonates broader cultural narratives of Black womanhood .As a well-known artist in Nigeria's music scene, Tiwa Savage plays a key role in discussions about race, gender, and how people are represented in media. Her ability to handle these complicated issues shows her strength as a musician, but it also highlights the difficulties that women of color face in the entertainment industry.
Her image business cannot be dismissed because it does carry an effect on the framing of public opinion. Even though Tiwa can subvert notions because she is so confident and talented, the framing of her image in the music video is then able to reinforce some expectations of femininity and beauty. This tension complicates the narrative of empowerment, because the same attributes that render her a powerful individual are also the same that render her commodifiable.

Overall, Tiwa Savage's "Koroba" offers a strong tapestry of themes of empowerment and commodification in the performance of Black Nigerian womanhood. Through the eye of Mulvey's male gaze and hooks' oppositional gaze, audiences are able to examine the richness of her performance. Though the video offers a visually pleasing and strong performance, it also raises significant questions about objectification, cultural commodification, and the challenges for women of color in music.
Finally, the examination of "Koroba" highlights the need to apprehend Black femininity in terms of a framework that identifies both agency and cultural meaning.

 

By watching Tiwa Savage's portrayal, the audience is encouraged to reflect on the general implications of her representation, questioning the balance between empowerment and commodification when media representations in the world continue to decide on societal norms and expectations. By a critical discourse of these matters, we can better understand Black Nigerian womanhood and how artists like Tiwa Savage personify the crossroads of complexity in the manner in which they perform their identities to the masses.