Nowadays there are more and more professions and new degrees to study, but now you can also study your favorite artists at university.
Benito Martínez, known worldwide as Bad Bunny, stands up not only for his great successes and records but also because of his participation in social causes and his activism in Latin America. Because of this, academics from the prestigious San Diego State University in California, United States, have decided to give a special course dedicated to the “rabbit”. Starting in 2023, Nate Rodríguez, Associate Director of the Faculty of Journalism and Media, will be in charge of teaching these studies. The course will analyze the impact that Bad Bunny has had on the world from the point of view of reggaeton. For example they will explain how the singer has fought against misogyny through a musical genre known to be normally sexist.
Although it is a surprising fact, Bad Bunny is not the first famous to be studied at university. Previously, at other universities, they have created courses about Harry Styles, Madonna, Beyoncé and Taylor Swift.
Harry Styles studies will be taught starting in spring 2023 at Texas State University. The name chosen for this course is ‘Harry Styles and the cult of celebrities: European identity, internet and pop culture’. The main themes will be to analyze the impact of the British singer within pop culture in fields such as fashion or music. In addition, it will also include subjects explaining the singer’s step through One Direction. The degree will be taught by Dr. Louie Dean Valencia for 15 weeks and will only have places for 20 people.
If you want to study Madonna you have to go to the University of Oviedo in Spain, where the course ‘Who’s that girl? Madonna and contemporary pop culture’ is being taught. These are free studies that address the different facets of the queen of pop. The classes are taught by the musician Igor Pasqual, who has said that his purpose is for students to delve into the themes of sex, money, music and race following in the footsteps of Madonna.
Beyoncé also has her own course currently being taught at Rutgers University in New Jersey. ‘Beyoncé, gender and race’ contains subjects on the singer’s career relating her to feminism in the black community, sexuality or the racial issue. These studies are taught by Professor Erik Steinskog, who uses the lyrics of Beyoncé’s songs and music videos to give classes.
The course about Taylor Swift, although initially was believed to have little public, quickly began to fill with fans to the point that they could not sign up all of them. The Clive Davis Institute of the University of New York is the site chosen to teach these studies on the musical trajectory of the country singer. The main themes of this degree are her songs, the composer’s legacy and her references, so they study her life from childhood until now.
Studying at university some of your favorite artists is already possible, but the big question is: will they continue to create new studies about other celebrities?
