Loud; vibrant; questionable: this is in essence a reflection of the artist herself. The following double page spread analysis is of the hip hop American Music Awards winner: Nicki Minaj. This particular issue of New Musical Express (NME) is an interview which is exceptionally different to that of the previous deconstruction.
Masthead: In keeping with the design the masthead is bold and visually interesting, from using different fonts to different colours, the piece varies.
- Wording - The use of the word "gospel" is both a play on words in the sense that this interview is her philosophy on how one/she should act/be; that it could be reflective of her religious views with a twist of light-hearted comedy. As "Nicki Minaj" is replacing what is usually John, Matthew, Mark, or Jesus; whilst this may seem vain the likelihood is that it was to be interpreted as her being just as famous as those individuals, or that she is even comparable to them in the world of music.
- Sizing - "The Gospel Accoring To" is used mostly in good humour and is not the main focus hence the difference in size compared to the two. On the other hand the fact that "Nicki Minaj" is larger than the previous section of the title could show either her journey to stardom, or how famous she is and how much of an impact she has made on the industry.
- Colour Scheme - Looking at the page as a whole the colour scheme is clearly multiple shades of pink, then its quite simply black and white. Going by the seven areas of representation, pink tends to be related mostly to women and effeminate men which is what the majority of her following is. And so, this arrangement would be liked by her audience/fans.
- Font - By using this font that is rather similar to a handwritten style it can be associated with the Bible, due to the language which relates to the points I made previously. Whereas the following section of the title uses a more modern and bold font that juxtaposes the latter. Although this is open to interpretation, I believe that the predominant point is that it reflects her routes, where she's been and what inspires her song-writing, to where she is now both as an artist and as a person (due to the interview being about lifestyle).
Main Image:
- Design - Although I have already touched on the colour scheme and the reasoning behind it, Minaj's outfit contradicts this perfectly. Whilst the colour scheme is in fact rather subtle because of the pastel shades of pink, the black and white zebra printed top seem to both juxtapose this but also complement it well. Once again this could reflect who she is an artist and the music she produces by wearing something that not many would dare to be seen in, apart from this it also creates a visually interesting page.
- "Icon" - The use of the"icon" four finger ring could be interpreted as something that represents vanity, which has been mentioned already, but could show her edgier side. By the piece of jewellery either showing her self awareness of her success or that it could be something she strives to be. Either way the accessory follows the light-hearted humour again which can be appreciated by the reader.
- Facial Expression - Minaj appears to have a moderately shocked facial expression, still face that doesn't show much emotion, the large open eyes, and the direct eye contact with the reader. Having most likely been described as an icon or being compared to those of whom are already, this may explain as to why she looks shocked whilst lifting her hand with the word "icon" on.
Article:
- Quotes - The quote at the centre on the right hand page gets the readers' attention as it is both eye-catching and relevant to her approach in the industry which can be controversial, this may request some answers as her style can be shocking to some.
- Language - Throughout this article the sub-titles use language such as "thou", "shalt", and "thee"; by following the biblical theme its relevance is valid in the entire piece. This also maintains the fluidity of the comical side, instead of coming across as offensive its merely featuring her advice on how one should be and how she will change.
Opinion
To conclude, I like this double page spread and think that there are pieces which could influence my double page spread. For example, I prefer the use of the sections and spacing in the interview, which was featured in this magazine, as opposed to the columns in the Q magazine. In my opinion its more visually interesting and enables the reader to take a pick of what they wish to read first, even if there are numbers to create a sense of fluidity. Furthermore, I enjoy the various use of fonts due to it both looking more professional and captivating than using just one.
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