For most musicians, their stage persona isn’t just about their songs and how they choose to perform them—it also involves their personal style.
For example, as one of the biggest music artists in the 1970s, Elton John wowed audiences with his outlandish outfits, which typically included an eccentric pair of sunglasses, from oversized sunnies with tinted lenses to geometric frames embellished with jewels and rhinestones. His eyewear served as a versatile accessory that could visually communicate The Rocket Man’s vibrant music and personality.
However, besides sunglasses, contact lenses are another type of eyewear typically used by musicians. Though less common and more subtle, colored contact lenses can transform an artists’ style on stage and on red carpets by changing or enhancing their eye color. In fact, the global colored contact lenses market has reached an impressive value of $4.69 billion in 2023, to the extent that global artists like K-pop girl group NewJeans became ambassadors of top contact lens brand OLENS.
Beyond their aesthetic appeal, contact lenses can also be worn for practical purposes, considering artists like Elton John himself have shared about having a vision condition, such as an eye infection, that impacts their eyesight. Instead of wearing glasses that can potentially slip off their faces, they can wear contact lenses that accommodate different vision needs through single-vision, astigmatism, and multifocal prescriptions. Additionally, brands like Acuvue, Precision1, and Biofinity offer lenses made of porous materials like silicone hydrogel to ensure artists' eyes don't dry out even when they wear them for prolonged periods.
Considering these equally stylish and practical purposes of contact lenses, below are top musicians who wear them to correct their vision, transform their appearance, or both.
Elton John
While Elton John is famous for wearing sunglasses that complement his bold fashion and musical style, the artist has also worn contact lenses to enhance his vision during performances.
With clear and unobstructed vision during performances, he can better interact with the audience and boost his confidence on stage. As such, in the linked interview above, the musician shares that his extensive glasses collection is mostly for accessorizing.
Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato has a vision impairment that worsened after a near-fatal overdose in 2018. However, since the American singer, songwriter, and actress has to perform on stage and show up at public events, she tends to wear contact lenses to seamlessly provide clear vision.
Interestingly, Lovato has done a television commercial for 1 DAY Acuvue Moist contact lenses in 2013, in which she shares how contacts give her “the confidence to look and perform their best.”
Lady Gaga
Beyond Lady Gaga’s attention-grabbing outfits for the red carpet, such as the meat dress she wore at the 2010 MTV VMAs, one of her most iconic looks is the pair of circle lenses that made her eyes appear eerily larger in the music video for ‘Bad Romance,’ ultimately fitting into her otherworldly aesthetic.
Although her style has evolved differently since then, Gaga’s more recent and sophisticated looks still incorporate contact lenses to make her eyes pop. Her natural eye color is green, but she experiments with other shades of green and emerald, opting for lighter hues for daytime outfits and more vivid colors for dressy evening looks. She has also been spotted wearing brown and hazel contact lenses during the press tour for her hit movie, “A Star Is Born.”
Chappell Roan
Similar to Lady Gaga, Chappell Roan came into the pop scene with not only chart-topping hits but also eccentric, jaw-dropping looks. Her distinct makeup style is crucial to her stage and red-carpet outfits, so her debut appearance at the 2024 MTV VMAs involved cosmetic contact lenses to fully embody her medieval royal fantasy visions.
Specifically, Chappell wore gray lenses on one eye and hazel lenses on the other, creating a heterochromia look that perfectly matched her iconic porcelain base, pencil-thin brows, and ethereal period makeup.
Overall, these musicians prove that contact lenses aren't just for practical everyday use; they can also boost your confidence, creativity, and self-expression.