Why do celebrities tend to turn to the dark side?

We live in a world where many people idolize celebrities, and even treat them as personal friends, when in reality, they have only seen the persona of the celebrity that is shown to the public eye.

Whether it is for their talent, beauty or quirkiness, a celebrity is famous for a reason and continues to attract people like a moth to a flame. But what happens when an idol that fans once loved completely changes and acts out of character? Do you continue to show your support to them?

The dark side

Many singers start out with a wholesome or fun image, which naturally attracts a huge fanbase worldwide. These types of singers are usually talented pop artists with hits that reach the main billboards, and their songs are so addictive to listen to, that it imprints in our brains forever.

However, there is a very common pattern that many people have seen with quite a few singers now. Singers such as Sam Smith, Lil Nas X and Doja Cat do a complete makeover and try to create a dark, rebellious and playful image which often associates with demonic symbolism. You can see their symbolic messages through their music videos, lyrics and live performances - with an obvious new obsession of parading their new devil horns on stage or in front of the camera.

There is nothing wrong with expressive art, and there really is no limit to it. Creating a new image as an artist is pretty common, especially when they want to explore a new genre of music or dip their toes into the water of unknown.

But it is of course shocking to see at first, especially if their fans come from religious backgrounds, or are parents or young teenagers.

The theory of soul selling

There is one theory that always floats around, and is becoming even more popular over the recent years.

Hollywood was once known as the American Dream to many around the world, especially for children who grew up in the 90's and 2000's. But we have recently been exposed to the dark side of Hollywood, and it isn't as amazing as it seems to be. Many actors and singers are assaulted mentally, physically and sexually, and are often coerced into doing things that they don't want to.

But there is also another dark narrative of how people make it big in Hollywood, and that is by 'selling their soul to the devil'. Many people believe that singers and actors who first start out as innocent, wholesome beings later have a dark streak in them and are empty shells that are used as puppets by the entertainment industry. They believe that these kind of people have to make a deal in order to become successful, by selling their souls, and in order to succeed in this negotiation they have to embarrass themselves publicly in order to do it.

There is no way to prove that this theory is true, but there is a long rabbit hole that you can go down about this theory.

Could it be a cry out for help?

It's important to try to maintain a good mental health in order to live a happy life. It's of course easier said than done, and it's not exactly easy for celebrities that are always put under a microscope to the public eye. There is a possibility that these singers eventually crack under pressure and want to act out. They want to show their bad, cool, side, and that no one can control them. They no longer want to be seen as 'saints', but real born 'sinners'.

And how do they do that? By talking about 'taboo' topics in their lyrics, and showing unconventional things in their music videos and live performances. They know that they have a huge fanbase, so in reality, they have nothing to fear by openly showing admiration to the devil. To them, everyday is fancy dress, which may be a cover up of the struggles that they are going through in finding their identities and getting help.

Can they repent their sins?

It can be hard to come out of this 'edgy' image that they're trying to portray, especially now that they've caught everyone's attention. Instead, the dark turn just continues like a car that has no brakes.