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How can they do this to a girl of 14? screamed The Sun headline, talking about new R&B singer Lisa Roxanne.The newspaper condemned Lisa for looking too sexy for her age, as she prepared to launch her debut single, No Flow in May this year.
Lisa was discovered last year by Island Records founder Chris Blackwell, and signed to his Palm Pictures label for a two-year, four-album recording deal, reportedly worth a seven figure sum. Right now, Lisa is clearly enjoying her fame, and seems to have kept a level head. ‘I'm staying focused, getting my homework and rehearsals done, and that's all I have time for.’ she says.
Lisa is just the latest addition to a long history of child stars. Her mother, Trisha, who used to sing with Eighties band Loose Ends, says Lisa has been singing since she was a baby, and insists that she hasn't pushed her daughter into the limelight. ‘It took me a long time to be convinced that Lisa had the stamina to succeed,’ she says.
She also insists that her daughter’s stylists don’t make her look much older than she really is. But how long will it be before she bows to the precedent set by Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, and ditches her girl-next-door image for something far more racier?
Child star Janet Jackson slowly graduated from Michael's cute little sister, to fully fledged sex icon, complete with tattoos and body piercings. Her provocative dance moves and topless album cover janet, showed that she was finally out of the clutches of her domineering father.
Many young stars have successfully changed their images without resorting to in your face sexuality, Monica, Brandy and the late Aaliyah are names that spring to mind.
The only difference with today's young starlets, is that they're making the transition faster, and getting the sexy makeover treatment, younger and younger. And it’s not really surprising, when you consider the column inches celebrities get these days for what they’re not wearing!
Take UK talent, R&B rising star Jamelia. Signed to Parlophone Records at 15, the singer went from her own street look, to a far more racier image in record time. In the video for her single Money, she appeared in Regency-style dress with her bust seen to be spilling out of a tight corset. She was awarded for her efforts with a Best Newcomer nomination at last year's Brits. And now that she’s had a baby, it will remain to be seen what will happen to her career.
Of course, it's not all down to ruthless marketing men, trying to maximise their profits, although that's certainly a big part of the story. The majority of the music reviewers on newspaper and magazines are male and, let's face it, men have always been suckers for a bit of eye candy. So, if the details of some nubile, young babe lands on a reviewer's desk, chances are they'll get some column inches and a nice big picture to boot.
The fame game has so many talented young players. But the pitfalls for young stars in later life are often overlooked by all those involved, blinded by the big bucks and bright lights. Out of all the child stars over the years, Michael Jackson has been the most visibly mutated by fame's early grip.
Earlier last year, Jackson started his Oxford Union speech with the words. ‘When I was young I wanted more than anything else to be a typical little boy, but fate had it otherwise.’ Jackson's speech highlighted the fact that most kids who become famous at an early age do suffer; their education is disrupted and their emotional development falters.
At one time the Jacksons were the first family of American showbiz, but the clan has almost crumbled under the pressure. The Jackson children grew up with few friends, and had their every move watched. Janet Jackson has said that she never wanted to be a performer; her father made her do it. Later, when she wanted to go to college, he insisted she join the cast of the TV series of Fame instead.
As Janet has pointed out, she was working full-time at the age of seven, making her stage debut in Las Vegas. Inevitably, such a regime proved too much, and she ran away at 18 to elope with singer James DeBarge. Sadly, the marriage soon came to an end, when DeBarge developed drug and alcohol problems.
Michael meanwhile, was accused of sexually molesting Jordy Chandler in 1993, with Jackson reaching an out-of-court settlement with the boy's parents worth a reported $26 million.
Singer Brandy also had problems with prescription drugs. The singer launched her career in 1994, at the tender age of 15. Then three years ago, papers reported that the 21-year-old singer had collapsed on the set of her top-rated show Moesha. At the time her publicist said insisted that she was suffering from dehydration. However, a source close to the show later revealed that Brandy had been taking diet pills, after critics had sniped that she had gained weight and looked pregnant. Brandy is reported to make an estimated $75,000 an episode - that's a staggering $1.6 million a year.
Here in the UK, supermodel Naomi Campbell was spotted last year leaving an AA meeting. For the model, who was discovered at 15, this was just the latest in a string of incidents. Three years ago, she was facing assault charges for allegedly hitting her personal assistant with a telephone. The assistant Georgina Galanis also filed an $8 million lawsuit for ‘severe mental injuries’ during her employment, for which the judge ordered Campbell to attend Anger Management classes.
Growing up in the public eye with all your good and bad bits picked over by a scandal-hungry press and public demands a strength of character that takes years to develop. Celebrity is a production line with a high turnover. As soon as the kids start losing the 'aahh' factor, the next lot are waiting in the wings.
Maybe it’s our fault. We’re suckers for youngsters who can sing, act and play grown-up and by expecting too much from these gifted children, we’re not giving them the chance to grow up properly.
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