The Expression of Alter Egos: David Bowie
Written By: Angel Lu
David Bowie as “Aladdin Sane” (1973)
“Alter ego” originates from the Roman philosopher Cicero who defined it as another side of oneself or a second identity. Psychologically, it’s known that some people form a new personality, different from who they truly are, to gain confidence or overcome a traumatic fear. It allows one to express themselves without the limitations their original identity could have. In the 20th-21st century, we prominently see alter egos from performers or artists, often as a creativity tool or to overcome personal insecurities. These “alter egos” extend all the way to pure stage names, or a whole character created by an artist. Such personas give a unique and powerful sense to the artist, attracting fans across the world.
One artist known for his alter egos is David Bowie (1947-2016), a singer-songwriter and actor who paved a monumental path for pop, rock, and glam music as a challenge to traditional norms. Since performance is an incredibly exposing and powerful subject, the introverted singer developed multiple personas to create a bold and iconic stage presence. Bowie’s album, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, introduced the character of Ziggy Stardust, a queer, androgynous alien rockstar who is the messenger to a dying earth. He is described as having a red mullet, and a moon-like circle on his forehead. From the album, the song “Starman” left a huge cultural impact, from Ziggy, the character, being a symbol of hope to the dying earth, to most recently being associated with the impactful release of Superman (2025).
The ingenuity behind David Bowie’s lyricism in “Starman” lies in the possibility of the “starman” not truly existing, as Ziggy Stardust being an alien, and, ultimately, just a character of artistic creation.
The lines “He’d like to come and meet us / But he thinks he’d blow our minds” reveal the speculation of such an alien as Ziggy Stardust being a person of pure imagination, because he’s the nearly impossible symbol of wonder at the time of Earth’s demise. It reflects the idea that Ziggy Stardust, as a personification of aspiration, is but a character of Bowie’s album and simply an exaggerated version of David Bowie that emphasized creative liberty.
Ziggy Stardust was not the only one to rise to fame. David Bowie had multiple alter egos in his time of fame, such as Aladdin Sane, known for the colorful lightning bolt across his face. Many other artists have come up with creative personas over the years, like Prince’s feminine persona Camille, Beyoncé’s Sasha Fierce, Eminem’s Slim Shady, and Kobe Bryant’s Black Mamba.
The concept of alter egos raises the question of whether or not these personas are connected to the potential each person has to become someone else. It also reminds us of the possibility of an alter identity bleeding into our actual personality, or vice versa. Is it good to have an alter ego, or would it negatively confuse the line between true and imaginary? Will a person’s alter ego expose their existing potential to become someone different, or will one’s alter ego be a completely different replication who sprouted purely out of imagination? Nonetheless, alter egos stay a creative outlet across the multitude of culturally transforming performers and non-performers alike, allowing us to see through our eyes in a different light.
