I think it's a funny coincidence that the ad on this page is of Usher showing of his new cologne. I really think this song is about the conditions that musicians these days submit to for fame. Their job isn't about the music- they are under a lot of direction and control of whoever pays them (I don't really know much about how the music business works. I just remember a few years ago how she was pressured to lose a lot of weight/change herself and all that). And I'm sure musicians/performance artists aren't given full creative license, but are forced to tweak things here and there to get the most public appeal. On top of all that, the musicians become popular subjects of adoration, entertainment, and scrutiny for millions of strangers. Then they almost always use their marginal power to endorse products they don't care about. One would have to feel pretty cheap after all that, selling oneself to strangers.
I think it's a funny coincidence that the ad on this page is of Usher showing of his new cologne. I really think this song is about the conditions that musicians these days submit to for fame. Their job isn't about the music- they are under a lot of direction and control of whoever pays them (I don't really know much about how the music business works. I just remember a few years ago how she was pressured to lose a lot of weight/change herself and all that). And I'm sure musicians/performance artists aren't given full creative license, but are forced to tweak things here and there to get the most public appeal. On top of all that, the musicians become popular subjects of adoration, entertainment, and scrutiny for millions of strangers. Then they almost always use their marginal power to endorse products they don't care about. One would have to feel pretty cheap after all that, selling oneself to strangers.