From Entertainment to Empowerment: Exploring Personal Growth and Female Empowerment in Miley Cyrus and Adele's Albums through the Personal Growth Process (PGP) Model

Chai, Yue Ching (2025) From Entertainment to Empowerment: Exploring Personal Growth and Female Empowerment in Miley Cyrus and Adele's Albums through the Personal Growth Process (PGP) Model. Final Year Project (Bachelor), Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology.

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Abstract

This study investigates the portrayal of personal growth and its contribution to female empowerment in the lyrics of Miley Cyrus’s Endless Summer Vacation and Adele’s 30. Using Carl Rogers’ Organismic Valuing Process (OVP) as the conceptual framework and the Personal Growth Process (PGP) model as the analytical tool, this research examines how themes of personal growth are expressed in the selected songs and their implications for female empowerment. The study addresses three research objectives: identifying song lyrics that portray personal growth, analyzing how these lyrics align with the subprocesses of the PGP model, and evaluating how the presence and/or absence of these subprocesses contributes to female empowerment from a feminist perspective. Findings reveal the presence of key subprocesses of personal growth, including self-awareness, openness to experience, existential courage, autonomy, taking responsibility, and self-compassion, while compassion towards others remains absent. Despite this absence, the identified lyrics empower women by rejecting traditional gender expectations, prioritizing self-care and personal growth, and emphasizing autonomy and agency, which are fundamental elements of feminist empowerment. This study shows the transformative potential of music as a medium for fostering self-reflection and challenging societal norms, showing a view into the intersection of personal growth and feminist discourse. It contributes to literary and gender studies by demonstrating how the narratives of female artists can inspire empowerment and redefine contemporary conceptions of womanhood. Future research is encouraged to expand the scope by incorporating diverse musical genres, exploring other cultural contexts, and examining additional themes related to empowerment and growth.