SZA

“Drew Barrymore”
General Conventions Analysis
GC1: Lyrics and Visual Narrative

• The video is a mixture of performance and

narrative.
• There is narrative enigma (Barthes) at the start of
the video before the singer is revealed.
• The lyrics talk about the singer’s weirdness in
comparison to others, so there are many quirky
elements in the video
• There is frequent party imagery, or the singer being
surrounded by friends in contrast to the song that
talks about the loneliness during a breakup
GC2: Genre Characteristics
• The genre of the song is slow R&B, which
typically features a glamorous lifestyle or
appearance, and discusses the themes of love
or heartbreak
• The singer appears glamorous with her hair
and makeup, sometimes contrasting with the
everyday imagery
• R&B typically has an urban audience which
is denoted through the New York street shots
and skyline
GC3: Intertextuality and
Postmodernism

• The title “Drew Barrymore” is an intertextual

reference to the actress, who appears in the video
• The Beatles’ “Abbey Road” cover is recreated
GC4: Representations
• The singer appears glamorous which makes her
aspirational, a key element to the R&B genre
• The naked shot of the singer could appeal to the
male gaze, but for most of the video the singer is
wearing baggy clothes and covering her body
• The urban New York landscape is represented
• There is a lot of diversity within the group of
friends and those at the party, which widens the
audience appeal
• There are several depictions of smoking and
drinking alcohol, which could remove the younger
audience potential
 • The camera tends to be handheld, which makes the
viewer feel like they are in the video
GC5: • The editing is slow paced to match the tone and mood of
the song
Cinematography • The use of striking and different backgrounds is very
appealing, as well as some quirky shots making the video
and Editing distinctive
• The lighting is low-key, matching the mood, and
sometimes the background focus becomes bokeh
Notable Marketing
• Most of the marketing around the song focused on the album
accolades, or Drew Barrymore’s cameo in the video
Possible Influences
• The inclusion of friends and parties
• The lighting and visual effects
• Using quirky elements to stand out
• The striking city shots