Industry makeover: An artist that started out with a different aesthetic and musical output, but changed their entire image and brand once signed and their career took off

An example would be Katy Perry, she started out as Katy Hudson and released a contemporary christian album as her debut.

Lady Gaga released her first EP under Stefani Germanotta which was more acoustic glam rock and less dance and electronic pop oriented than The Fame

Got any other examples ?

Lana Del Rey and her 2-3 other extremely cringe nepo baby debuts.

Pink. She used to be somewhat edgy in the early 2000s, now she's been releasing the most basic music imaginable for decades. She's become basic.

Maroon 5 are sellouts. Sia changed after success.

12 minutes ago, Madam X said:

Pink. She used to be somewhat edgy in the early 2000s, now she's been releasing the most basic music imaginable for decades. She's become basic.

Maroon 5 are sellouts. Sia changed after success.

This is artists that changed after success, I'm thinking more people that seemed to do different music and image on their come up, but then ditched it when they got signed and their mainstream career took off.

Addison Rae maybe?

4 minutes ago, dejmieeen said:

Addison Rae maybe?

For sure, it's very noticeable with Tiktok grown artists because everyone know what they did and looked like before entering the music industry

Genesis

Their first album is an orchestral pop record that resembles early Bee Gees. It's very different from the progressive rock they're known for.

I used to believe Alicia Keys became Leona Lewis as part of a rebranding. Turns out they are different people (and yes they are both alive… got the memo already).

I'd argue SZA visually. She lost weight and started making alterations to her appearance before CTRL came out and she finally broke through

Chappell, if you listen to her pre-mid west princess music it's like Gracie Abrams slop

Sabrina Carpenter

doechii

pre fame she was reheating bree runway's nachos

now shes more afrocentric and earthy rather than afro-futuristic

Edited July 23Jul 23 by yonsé

Definitely Katy, but in a broader sense than just gospel music. Her gospel music was very rock-coded, and so was everything else she made until 2008, when she started to blow up with more relatively-pop-infused songs like Hot N Cold, setting the stage for her rebrand with Teenage Dream (and chasing that high ever since)

Edited July 23Jul 23 by Kurt Hummel

The transformation of Tones and I is not talked about enough

Taylor got her eyes done her boobs and a lot other facial stuff

Poppy, she went from doing Pop and Bubblegum with 'That Poppy' and then she changed to 'Poppy' with more metal music.

2 hours ago, StonedSoulPicnic said:

Genesis

Their first album is an orchestral pop record that resembles early Bee Gees. It's very different from the progressive rock they're known for.

Same with the Bee Gees themselves. They started off as soft rock before going Disco, Funk, & R&B in the 70s and then adult contemporary in the 80s & 90s.

Alanis Morissette, Sky Ferreira, Avril Lavigne, Lana Del Rey, Drake

5 minutes ago, Egon Schiele said:

Alanis Morissette, Sky Ferreira, Avril Lavigne, Lana Del Rey, Drake

Alanis is my soulmate angel.

Almost all of them did.

Utada Hikaru started as Cubic U

6 hours ago, stevyy said:

Alanis is my soulmate angel.

Same

(Unrelated but I recently saw a tweet or comment somewhere that said "I'm straight but I'm bi" and someone replied "that's an Alanis Morissette song" and I had no one to share it with because none of my friends like her lmfao)

2 hours ago, Egon Schiele said:

Same

(Unrelated but I recently saw a tweet or comment somewhere that said "I'm straight but I'm bi" and someone replied "that's an Alanis Morissette song" and I had no one to share it with because none of my friends like her lmfao)

I feel you. Alanis is so under the radar these days... but when I bring her name up, or guests see my Alanis collection, the reaction is almost always positive. She is loved like ppl love a free ride or a beautiful.... husband.

Xtina

Lately? Zara Larsson

She always looked good, but she never had an identity. With Midnight Sun, she got this colorful and bright aesthetic that seems to work for her.