Pop singer-songwriter Jackie Miskanic – identified professionally as Jax.
Pop singer-songwriter Jackie Miskanic – identified professionally as Jax – completed third on the 14th season of American Idol, and the present definitely launch her profession. This summer time, social media now has helped her notch her first entry on the Billboard Sizzling 100 chart for her ode to physique positivity “Victoria’s Secret.” As well as, she filmed a flash mob video exterior one of many shops, which additionally attracted consideration from the corporate referred to as out within the tune.
Inside days of posting the video to YouTube – the place it has been seen 4.5 million occasions so far – Jax even obtained a letter from Victoria’s Secret CEO Amy Hauk, who mentioned the 26-year-old singer had addressed “vital points.”
The one, which was launched in June and has earned reward from quite a few celebrities, particularly calls out the Victoria’s Secret model, and notably firm founder and former CEO Leslie Wexner, for profiting off younger girls whereas contributing to their detrimental physique points. Jax has acknowledged that she wrote the tune for a lady she babysits as a technique to tackle physique points head-on.
Jax has used social media to advertise not solely the tune but additionally the message. And he or she wasn’t truly shocked that Victoria’s Secret responded to the lyrics.
“It ought to have come method sooner! I’m not the primary one that has spoken about these items,” Jax defined by way of an e mail despatched from her promotions crew. “It should not take a blue examine mark to get the eye of an organization. I hope to suppose the overwhelming assist and hundreds of non-public tales is what actually caught their consideration. It related with lots of people who have been very vocal. Whether or not the corporate truly heard any of it, I assume time will inform.”
The pop singer additionally added that this is not actually a few single company both, and instructed it was supposed to be a metaphor that helped convey a message in regards to the greater evil: advertising and marketing towards folks’s insecurities — particularly younger girls.
“This was simply my method of telling my private story to ladies, boys, youngsters, adults, that you’re stunning and it’s best to by no means examine your physique to what you see on media of any kind,” Jax continued. “As a result of most of what you see is faux and made up by some outdated dude in a convention room someplace. It is not actual and it is manipulative. I hate the concept of anyone dropping their sense of self-worth whereas another person will get wealthy off of it.”
It must be famous too {that a} 12 months in the past, the Victoria’s Secret model started a brand new path — one which included changing all the boys on the board of administrators, except for CEO Martin Waters, have been changed by girls. As well as, the standard Victoria’s Secrets and techniques Angles have been changed by the likes of “LGBTQIA+ activist” Megan Rapinoe, plus-size mannequin and “physique advocate” Paloma Elsesser, and transgender swimsuit mannequin Valentina Sampaio. Nevertheless, this summer time’s tune nonetheless has served to additional carry physique consciousness points into the highlight.
Flash Mob Goes Viral
The pop singer did not count on that her flash mob video, filmed earlier this 12 months, can be seen hundreds of thousands of occasions, and mentioned that she is at all times shocked by the response a few of her on-line posts – on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube – typically obtain.
“This one particularly blew me away with how many individuals began sharing their experiences with consuming problems and physique dysmorphia. It actually struck a nerve,” she added.
The video, which is just below three minutes in size, was filmed exterior of a Victoria’s Secret and concerned an actual flash mob.
“I used to be sitting round pondering how cool it could be to carry flash mobs again,” mentioned Jax. “They was once so enjoyable however kinda disappeared. So I referred to as a choreographer and advised him what I wished to do. I advised him that I wish to highlight as many physique sorts as doable in three minutes.”
Over the course of simply two days, which allowed for a restricted quantity of rehearsals, Jax discovered the strikes, whereas the video was then filmed in a single take. “I nonetheless cannot imagine I danced by the whole tune, with two left ft, surrounded by professional dancers,” she added. “I nonetheless smile so laborious enthusiastic about it – to not point out it was like group remedy speaking with all of the dancers. I did not even take into account how badly dancers undergo consuming problems their whole lives and all of us shared our tales through the rehearsal.”
Utilizing Social Media to Join With Followers
In the present day many younger singers are utilizing social media to share their music, however it is usually permitting followers to attach immediately with the artists.
“Earlier than, you would need to learn an article or watch a documentary to comply with your favourite artist. Now you might be alongside for the whole journey,” mentioned Jax. “TikTok has allowed me to succeed in wider audiences. Individuals love tales and I believe that that’s the stunning factor about TikTok. You possibly can comply with somebody’s journey and in flip, know precisely the place the artist is coming from.”
This has additionally included sharing some private heartache by way of the platform, together with how she used it to recover from a breakup. Jax mentioned that the platforms allowed her to carry a few of the baggage into the traditional – “stuff” she would usually by no means take into account speaking about.
“Speaking about this stuff helps create a dialog with folks from all walks of life,” the singer famous. “It sort of feels like one massive group remedy session that everybody (together with myself) advantages from.”
In the present day, pop music and social media are so interconnected that it has grow to be a brand new regular for the way artists can have interaction with followers. Jax mentioned she believes TikTok is now an app that enables for genuine creativity. Whilst she is a signed recording artist, Jax nonetheless makes use of TikTok to check out songs to see if it “hits dwelling” or not.
“It allowed me to lastly be my goofy awkward self and never some trade made-up persona,” Jax defined, “Which I believed I needed to chase my whole life. That is why this app is so fashionable as a result of the customers scroll proper previous the ‘BS.’ So now a child of their bed room could make a 30-second tune and have it heard by three million folks in a single day. It is a good time to be an artist as a result of the gap between you and your followers is actually one scroll away.”
