Changes to Alizee's myspace

[Deepwaters]

Originally Posted by Snatcher42

Keep in mind there is no record label anymore. "Vacation" was a euphemism, really all those people are out of work or have found other jobs. And it doesn't sound like a new team is in place yet either. That's as much a reason for the lack of updates as anything.

Two things are going on. One is the general disorganization and chaos in her career, e.g. the canceled concert, lack of promotions, drifting-in-the-wind character we see now, etc. On that, I believe you're right: we're seeing the metaphorical equivalent of a Chapter 11 reorganization.

The other thing, though, is the lack of communication, the failure to talk to her fans about what's happening. On that, I believe you're wrong. There is some other reason why she is in hiding. Yes, "vacation" is a euphemism, but I've already said too much on that subject, so I won't go into it again, except to say that I believe we need to be understanding and cut her some slack.

And personally one I'd like to believe, because if Alizée really did run that site solo, she did a terrible job.

What she did a terrible job of was trying to manage her career solo, or with no one to help her do it except Jérémy and perhaps Sylvain. I think she did fine on the MySpace page, until recently, and again, I think there's a separate reason for the meltdown in communication. The problem is she's very young, and has no real experience from the past in running her own show. Granted, she could have learned a lot by watching Mylène, but obviously that wasn't enough. Jérémy is also very young, and while he has run his own show from the beginning he's never been all that successful at it. She needs some outside expertise, some expert advice. Or so it seems to me. Nice try, good album, but . . .

I don't think it's a lack of effort. I think it's a lack of knowing quite what the hell she's doing.

Ruroshen, as long as we're acting in goodwill and out of concern for her, that won't happen. Sorry, I agree that it would be cool. Hey, you could always do something really obnoxious, like follow her around with a camera. I believe that would get the reaction you're looking for.

[TheBarrett]

I still be a bit slow on the page, maybe because it uses Flash.

[Ben]

Originally Posted by Deepwaters

Two things are going on. One is the general disorganization and chaos in her career, e.g. the canceled concert, lack of promotions, drifting-in-the-wind character we see now, etc... The other thing, though, is the lack of communication, the failure to talk to her fans about what's happening... I think she did fine on the MySpace page, until recently... I don't think it's a lack of effort. I think it's a lack of knowing quite what the hell she's doing.

I don't think they're separate, because for Alizée communication is promotion. You know I don't find the current silence very odd, but that's a bigger issue than just her MySpace page. Whether other stuff is going on in her life or not, and regardless of who runs it, I believe the lack of updates there is directly related to her career standstill. I mean, she never used MySpace for the kind of communication you describe, it was strictly promotional. She never did really post on it, just added material. What would be the point of updating content now?

I do hope she utilizes it better in the future. Compared to other artists I like, her use of MySpace up to now has been little more than a cursory nod toward the concept of interaction. Like the psychedeclips web site, it's a nice idea left unrealized. I don't necessarily believe there was a lack of effort either, but that's how it looks. Maybe the mistake was trying to do too much herself, but the more casual fans simply looking for a good product aren't going to think about that. We can cut her all the slack in the world, they won't.

[Deepwaters]

Originally Posted by Snatcher42

I don't think they're separate, because for Alizée communication is promotion.

I don't agree, as far as what goes on in her mind. It SHOULD be -- but it's not. She has always had a tendency to relate to fans as if they were friends, even though she knows better. Using fan communication for promotion is not something she's very good at, in fact. It's one of those professional things I think she needs to learn. Either it's flowed naturally from her and worked on its own, or it's not happened at all.

I mean, she never used MySpace for the kind of communication you describe, it was strictly promotional. She never did really post on it, just added material. What would be the point of updating content now?

She did send out the one bulletin early on thanking everyone for their comments, and would respond to both comments there and on the forums with updates and/or announcements in other media, but I agree she could make better use of it. More bulletins would be a good thing. Since I became her MySpace friend, several other French musicians have befriended me ("hey, moi aussi !") and I get bulletins from them all the time. She could take a page from their books.

Maybe the mistake was trying to do too much herself, but the more casual fans simply looking for a good product aren't going to think about that. We can cut her all the slack in the world, they won't.

Oh, I agree with that completely, but the thing is those people are fickle. If she comes out with a better-managed effort on her fourth album, they'll come back. People like you, though -- if she loses you, you're gone. It's a personal thing. So I'm saying that to people like you, not people like them.

[Ben]

Originally Posted by Deepwaters

and would respond to both comments there and on the forums with updates and/or announcements in other media,

I don't think that cuts it. First it's debatable, second and more important, she can't leave it up to interpretation like that. She should send out bulletins such as, "hey I've read all the comments about this, so watch my performance Saturday night to see a change!" At the very least mention that last bit. With an easy to update site like MySpace, it's ridiculous that we still had to hunt for appearances. Without forums like this, even fans in France would have missed half of them!

Originally Posted by Deepwaters

If she comes out with a better-managed effort on her fourth album, they'll come back. People like you, though -- if she loses you, you're gone. It's a personal thing. So I'm saying that to people like you, not people like them.

You don't have to worry, I wouldn't bother posting if thinking of leaving. But the problem is, the worse things go now, the harder it will be for that better managed fourth album to happen! Again, a break is fine if she's got personal issues, professional restructuring, or whatever else going on. But when she does return, she simply can't resume the same old pattern. It just won't work anymore.

[Future Raptor Ace]

Originally Posted by Snatcher42

I don't think they're separate, because for Alizée communication is promotion. You know I don't find the current silence very odd, but that's a bigger issue than just her MySpace page. Whether other stuff is going on in her life or not, and regardless of who runs it, I believe the lack of updates there is directly related to her career standstill. I mean, she never used MySpace for the kind of communication you describe, it was strictly promotional. She never did really post on it, just added material. What would be the point of updating content now?

I do hope she utilizes it better in the future. Compared to other artists I like, her use of MySpace up to now has been little more than a cursory nod toward the concept of interaction. Like the psychedeclips web site, it's a nice idea left unrealized. I don't necessarily believe there was a lack of effort either, but that's how it looks. Maybe the mistake was trying to do too much herself, but the more casual fans simply looking for a good product aren't going to think about that. We can cut her all the slack in the world, they won't.

yeah also not to mention what she does have on it is written in 3rd person

[Lerxst]

Originally Posted by Snatcher42

Here's the deal. With most artists, I'm a fan of two things: their work and their talent. These days with Alizée, I'm around almost exclusively for her talent, because she seems to put so very little work in to her own career. I don't know if that's actually true, if there's not something going on behind the scenes we don't know about, but that's the impression - less effort than any other artist I've seen.

So one of two things has to happen. Either she starts making the effort, or if she already is and we just aren't seeing it, then she's gotta figure out how to manage public relations so that we do. That is of course when she wants to resume her career. I'm fine with a break, and am talking as much about when Psychédélices promotion was in full swing as I am about now. None of it's been quite right.

Agreed. But I also wonder if the reason she doesn't put much effort into her career is because she doesn't necessarily want to reach the same level of success she had in the Lolita years.

I get the impression she wants to be just popular enough that she can make a living at it without compromising too much of her personal/family life. She doesn't want to become so popular that she has paparazzi and fans following her around all day and disrupting her life. She seems to be very protective of her privacy.

I'm not convinced she wants a career that is too demanding of her time or invasive of her life.

[Noodle]

Sombody spammed her myspace that sucks i hope they can do somthing about it

[TheBarrett]

^ Just wait and see and all will unravel, hopefully to our advantage.

[Topaz]

Ya'know for most artists it's all about the music and quality. If the public likes it, all the better. It's good when the fans are pleased. If not there will be another album. All this talk about "no effort". No one knows how much effort went into the album. No one knows how much effort went into publicity. No one knows the problems that could have occured. Maybe everyone should just chill for a little while.

Now for a retro look, MySpace before it was known.





Look forward, not back.