Re-inventing the pop star, again and again

He Jie

THERE are moments when I wish I had the life – and good looks – of a pop star. A nice dose of reality, however, will usually awake me from my fantasy.

The latest of these reality "pills" came last week, when I read the recent comments made by Girl He Jie.

"Gold-colored hair fades easily, so I have to dye my hair twice a month," she told media at a promotional event in Wuhan. "Then I've got advertisements to shoot, so I have to dye it back. It's horrible for the skin. I wish I were not an Asian. It's too painful."

Some people have twisted her words to suggest that she's ashamed of her race. But I think she's suffering from what every pop star must be prepared to endure: unending re-invention.

We've all heard the lines: "This is the real me", or "I wanted to show a new side of my personality". Being a pop star demands that you always look your best, and that tomorrow you look even better, but with a new style. This is simply part of the game pop stars must play if they want to be around for a long time.

Madonna is a perfect example: Everything from her hair and fashion to her philosophy and religion has changed over the years. She, apparently, wouldn't have it any other way.

But these expectations of perpetual reinvention must be difficult for talent show winners like He Jie. One day they are like you and me. The next, they are starring in shampoo commercials and signing autographs in music stores. They have little time to think about who they were, since everyone is talking about who they could become.

Yes, on second thought, I'll keep the life I have (not that I have any choice). After all, I like the color of my hair.

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生词：
perpetual 永久的

autograph 签名




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