Stereotyping is when we make assumptions based upon what we perceive a person to be and the grouping of individuals. We come to these conclusions because of the way that media portrays certain individuals; we make these assumptions based on the way we see people in the media and then associate real people with them. However, we are not always correct when we are categorizing people as we are often not seeing the full representation of the people, we are often just creating an idea based on their appearance and the way they represent themselves.

Tessa Perkins theory is based around stereotyping and is based around the following five assumptions: • Stereotypes are not always negative• They are not always about minority groups• They can be held about one’s own group• They are not rigid or unchanging • They are not always false

Tessa Perkins

The Indie Rock genre is typically male dominant therefore Florence (+ The Machine) represents an alternative side to the genre; comparable/ similar artists include Lana Del Rey, Lykke Li, Chvrches, Haim and Lorde, all of which are all either female solo artists or feature female leads. A stereotype of female Indie singers or female leads is that they would often come under the category of being relatively outspoken and confident; Florence generally fits into this stereotype whilst having mainly positive ideology with the public; this is made clear by the fact that when “Florence and the Machine” is entered into Google News, almost all the news stories are positive or at very worst, neutral.

In the Public Eye:

Florence’s main iconography is her red curly hair which can be seen in her music videos, live performances, photoshoots and day-to-day; by maintaining this appearance, it has become a significant part of her Iconography and therefore who she is as an artist, almost as if it is a motif for the band.

Another significant part of her appearance is her somewhat outlandish style which ranges from casual tomboy to elegant queen as her style has been described as being daring but nonchalant; Florence’s style in recent years has become comparably more feminine compared to her early career as a result of her being styled by the likes of Gucci.

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A significant way in which Florence Welch is seen as a positive role model is through her music and lyrics; an example of this are the following lyrics relating to positivity in an indirect manor: “Don't make a shadow of yourself”- Third Eye (Supporting the idea of self-confidence and self-respect)

“And you deserve to be loved and you deserve what you are given” – Third Eye (Encouraging the idea of self-confidence and self-worth)

“Hold on to your heart, don't give it away”- Various Storms and Saints (Supporting the idea of knowing your own worth and not giving someone your identity; this goes against Laura Mulvey’s theory of women being objectified and losing their human identity in the media as the lyrics are promoting acknowledging your self-worth as an individual)

“it's always darkest before the dawn”- Shake it Out (This line could be interpreted to be advise, as if trying to tell the audience that things get better which reiterates the idea of Florence being a positive role model)

“And we'll never be afraid again” – Spectrum (By using the word “we” as part of the lyric, this is making Florence seem ‘normal’ and like the audience which links with Richard Dyer’s theory of stars being both ordinary and extraordinary)

“What kind of man loves like this" – What kind of man (This lyric also promotes and encourages self-worth, possibly allowing the audience to question their own relationships)