46-years-old Sinead O'Connor sends an open letter to Miley Cyrus after the youngster revealed that her 'Wrecking Ball'
video was inspired by Sinead O'Connor's iconic video for 'Nothing
Compares 2 U'. In the letter, Sinead warned Miley not to allow the music
industry make her a 'prostitute'.
The harsh but honest letter complimented Miley's music and advises her: "You
have enough talent that you don't need to let the music business make a
prostitute of you" She continued, "Your records are good enough for you
not to need any shedding of Hannah Montana. She's waaaaaay gone by now.
Not because you got naked but because you make great records."
In the letter, the Irish singer/songwriter admits that she is flattered
that Miley sees her as her role model but as someone who is no stranger
to controversy, she tells a cautionary tale. She writes: "I am
extremely concerned for you that those around you have led you to
believe, or encourage you in your own belief that it is in any way
'cool' to be naked and licking sledgehammers in your videos. it is in
fact the case that you will obscure your talent by allowing yourself to
be pimped, whether it's the music business or yourself doing the
pimping. Nothing but harm will come in the long run from allowing
yourself to be exploited and it is absolutely NOT in ANY way an
empowerment of yourself or any other young women for you to send across
the message that you are to be valued (even by you) more for your sexual
appeal than your obvious talent."
Dear Miley,
I wasn’t going to write this letter, but today I’ve been dodging
phone calls from various newspapers who wished me to remark upon your
having said in Rolling Stone your Wrecking Ball video was designed to be
similar to the one for Nothing Compares… So this is what I need to say…
And it is said in the spirit of motherliness and with love.
I am extremely concerned for you that those around you have led you
to believe, or encouraged you in your own belief, that it is in any way
'cool' to be naked and licking sledgehammers in your videos. It is in
fact the case that you will obscure your talent by allowing yourself to
be pimped, whether it’s the music business or yourself doing the
pimping.
Nothing but harm will come in the long run, from allowing yourself to
be exploited, and it is absolutely NOT in ANY way an empowerment of
yourself or any other young women, for you to send across the message
that you are to be valued (even by you) more for your sexual appeal than
your obvious talent.
I am happy to hear I am somewhat of a role model for you and I hope
that because of that you will pay close attention to what I am telling
you.
The music business doesn’t give a s*** about you, or any of us. They
will prostitute you for all you are worth, and cleverly make you think
it's what YOU wanted... and when you end up in rehab as a result of
being prostituted, 'they' will be sunning themselves on their yachts in
Antigua, which they bought by selling your body and you will find
yourself very alone.
None of the men oggling you give a s*** about you either, do not be
fooled. Many’s the woman mistook lust for love. If they want you
sexually that doesn’t mean they give a f*** about you. All the more true
when you unwittingly give the impression you don’t give much of a f***
about yourself, and when you employ people who give the impression they
don’t give much of a f*** about you either. No one who cares about you
could support your being pimped... and that includes you yourself.
Yes, I’m suggesting you don’t care for yourself. That has to change.
You ought be protected as a precious young lady by anyone in your employ
and anyone around you, including you. This is a dangerous world. We
don’t encourage our daughters to walk around naked in it because it
makes them prey for animals and less than animals, a distressing
majority of whom work in the music industry and its associated media.
You are worth more than your body or your sexual appeal. The world of
showbiz doesn’t see things that way, they like things to be seen the
other way, whether they are magazines who want you on their cover, or
whatever... Don’t be under any illusions.. ALL of them want you because
they’re making money off your youth and your beauty... which they could
not do except for the fact your youth makes you blind to the evils of
show business. If you have an innocent heart you can’t recognise those
who do not.
I repeat, you have enough talent that you don’t need to let the music
business make a prostitute of you. You shouldn’t let them make a fool
of you either. Don’t think for a moment that any of them give a flying
f*** about you. They’re there for the money... we’re there for the
music. It has always been that way and it will always be that way. The
sooner a young lady gets to know that, the sooner she can be REALLY in
control.
You also said in Rolling Stone that your look is based on mine. The
look I chose, I chose on purpose at a time when my record company were
encouraging me to do what you have done. I felt I would rather be judged
on my talent and not my looks. I am happy that I made that choice, not
least because I do not find myself on the proverbial rag heap now that I
am almost 47 years of age... which unfortunately many female artists,
who have based their image around their sexuality, end up on when they
reach middle age.
Real empowerment of yourself as a woman would be to in future refuse
to exploit your body or your sexuality in order for men to make money
from you. I needn’t even ask the question... I’ve been in the business
long enough to know that men are making more money than you are from you
getting naked. It’s really not at all cool. And it’s sending dangerous
signals to other young women. Please in future say no when you are asked
to prostitute yourself. Your body is for you and your boyfriend. It
isn’t for every spunk-spewing dirtbag on the net, or every greedy record
company executive to buy his mistresses diamonds with.
As for the shedding of the Hannah Montana image.. whoever is telling
you getting naked is the way to do that does absolutely NOT respect your
talent, or you as a young lady. Your records are good enough for you
not to need any shedding of Hannah Montana. She’s waaaaaaay gone by
now... Not because you got naked but because you make great records.
Whether we like it or not, us females in the industry are role models
and as such we have to be extremely careful what messages we send to
other women. The message you keep sending is that it’s somehow cool to
be prostituted... it’s so not cool Miley... it’s dangerous. Women are to
be valued for so much more than their sexuality. we aren’t merely
objects of desire. I would be encouraging you to send healthier messages
to your peers... that they and you are worth more than what is
currently going on in your career. Kindly fire any motherf***er who
hasn’t expressed alarm, because they don’t care about you.
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