Singer Avril Lavigne is back in the spotlight, although the former pop princess isn’t getting attention for a new girl power anthem.
Lavigne, of Complicated fame, shot a new video for the song Hello Kitty which features Japanese backup dancers, Japanese cuisine, and a smattering of the culture’s language.
The video quickly came under attack for the “dead eyes” portrayal of the dancers and allegedly presenting a cartoonish look at the culture. Billboard slammed the song and called the video racist.
Lavigne isn’t backing down.
RACIST??? LOLOLOL!!! I love Japanese culture and I spend half of my time in Japan. I flew to Tokyo to shoot this video…
— Avril Lavigne (@AvrilLavigne) April 24, 2014
The dancers in particular could be compared to the models who accompanied Robert Palmer in the famous Addictied to Love video from 1986.