Recently, Fifth Harmony released their new album with adjoining music videos and the comment section erupted with accusatory and negative comment of the girls' new choices. For their first album since becoming a four-piece group, the ladies collectively co-wrote and released music that was more mature in context and sound.
What came with what they called their first representative project was a lot of heat from fans. When their new music dropped, viewers immediately commented that the girls were now resulting to "selling their bodies" and "making twerk music" just to get radio play. Immediately following the audio release was the YouTube video drop. Specifically, the setting in their video for "He Like That" had some critics saying that they've "lost their talent and are just selling sex."
Why is that anytime a woman in the music industry tries to mature as an artist they're called sluts and hoes? Critics go straight to slut shaming just because a woman begins to show more skin or hang out in the club. I myself, and many other women I know, wear more revealing clothing and go out to clubs and are the furthest things from sluts.
What people see as scandalous they need to perceive as confidence and empowerment. Just because someone dresses or acts in a way that could gain attention, doesn't mean they are attention seeking. Most people, especially in the public eye, are dressing the way they want because they feel comfortable, confident and powerful.
Another artist who dealt with slut-shaming from growing up in front of the camera is Ariana Grande. Everyone saw Ariana start on Nickelodeon on the show Victorious and when she broke into the music world and as she's gotten older many accused her of "only singing about sex" and "dressing in skimpy outfits because sex sells".
Many forget that because you began listening to and watching these artists at a young age that they are not forever young and neither are you. We all love to try to stay nostalgic and talk about staying young forever, but that isn't the reality of life. Ariana is in her mid-twenties and the girls of Fifth Harmony are all in their twenties as well.
You can't expect adult women to not sing about real-life experiences and for them, that involves more adult content. That doesn't mean they're "selling out" or "losing who they are". In fact, they are finding themselves and experiencing life and you should do the same instead of criticizing their lifestyles.