Music

Video
Analysis
by
Niamh
Sygrove

Andrew Goodwin's Music Video Theory

Andrew Goodwins theory allows us to analyse music videos concentrating on 7 main
principles:
1) Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics. (e.g. stage performance in metal videos,
dance routine for boy/girl band, aspiration in Hip Hop).
2) There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals. The lyrics are represented with images.
(either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).
3) There is a relationship between music and visuals. The tone and atmosphere of the visual
reflects that of the music. (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).
4) The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and
the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style).
5) There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens, mirrors, stages,
etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.
6) The artist may develop motifs or iconography that recur across their work (a visual style).
7) There are often intertextual reference (to films, TV programmes, other music videos etc).

Grimes Kill V. Maim

Background Artist
Information
Claire Boucher aka Grimes
Age 28
Hit songs Kill V. Maim,
Oblivion, Go
Canadian Producer and Singer
Works from home in her room
on Ableton
Synth Pop, Electronic,
Alternative, EDM, Dance
Albums - Art Angels, Visions,
Geidi Primes, Halfaxa
Signed to record label 4AD
Worked alongside artists like
Blood Diamonds, Janelle Monae
and HANA
Toured with Lana Del Rey
Created the artwork herself for
all of her 4 albums

KILL V. MAIM MUSIC VIDEO

The Meaning Behind Kill V.

Maim

Grimes immersed herself in gangster movies while penning

the Art Angels album. She told Q magazine this song, "is
written from the perspective of Al Pacino in The Godfather
Pt 2. Except he's a vampire who can switch gender and
travel through space.
Grimes told NME this is her favourite song on Art Angels.
She explained: "It's my strongest work as a producer and it
probably reflects my personality more than most of my
music. It's the song I've always wanted to make, and I
finally made it."

Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics. (e.g. stage performance

in metal videos, dance routine for boy/girl band, aspiration in Hip Hop).

Goodwins theory states that each genre has

particular characteristics that define its
genre. Grimes Kill V. Maim is synthpop
genre and there are a number of factors
which contribute to creating a synthpop
music video.

The characters in these

music videos are normally
the artists themselves and
don't really have a specific
character as the videos are
mostly performance. The
videos sometimes include
characters who are doing
certain things but tend to
also not have a specific
character that would add to
the narrative of the music
video.
A theme that is very often
part of most synthpop
music videos is bright
colours and contrasting
lighting. There tend not too
be many other themes
they share as each band
tends to want to be as
unique as possible.

In synthpop music
videos there is
normally quite a wide
range of camera
shots to create more
motion in the music
video as the videos
are generally
concept or
performance so it
keeps the attention
of the viewer without
needing a story.
The editing in
synthpop music
videos tends to be
quite fast paced as
the beat of most of
the songs are also
fast paced.

There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals. The lyrics are represented
with images. (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).

Grimes Kill V. Maim is narrative-based, presenting the

storyline of a brackish, horror house track about Al
Pacino's Godfather Pt. 2 character, rewritten as a
genderbending vampire.
Grimes wreaks havoc with a pack of vampiric cyberpunks
throughout town, intimidating viewers with an arsenal of
brutish looks, culminating in a sensuous underground
blood rave.

The demands of the record label will include the need for lots
of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs
which recur across their work (a visual style).

There are many close-ups of the artist performing

the song throughout Kill V. Maim. This brings the
audience closer to the artist and establishes the
artists role in the music video. Close-ups are also
used not only to show emotions, but to reflect the
words of the song with the movement of the lips of
the artist.

Grimes seems to have a repetitive

motif/style when close-ups are used,
as she puts more emphasis into the
song that she sings through her
hand/body actions/language.

The artist may develop motifs or iconography that recur

across their work (a visual style).

Grimess fourth studio album Art Angels

develops a motif of angelic figures that recur
throughout many of her music videos.
White angel (Flesh
Without Blood)

Black angel (Kill V. Maim)

There are often intertextual reference (to films, TV

programmes, other music videos etc).

In Grimes Kill V. Maim music video,

multiple intertextual references are included
from a variation of movies, TV programmes,
video games and Japanese culture.

The videos opening credits look a lot like the popular crime dramas logo.

Grimes tricked-out pink car looks like a futuristic version of something

Charlize Theron might drive in Mad Max.

Grimes sports black wings like the ones worn by Natalie Portman in Black
Swan.

Grimess Kill V. Maim video includes the same message that appears in
the video game Dark Souls.

Grimes red cloak matches the one Vash the Stampede rocks in the anime
series Trigun.

Grimes dances with blood-drenched ravers, recalling the vampires in

Blades famous blood rave scene.

Melanie Martinez
Pity Party

Background Artist
Information

Melanie Adele Martinez

Age 21
Alternative, Pop, Electropop
Created the best selling
concept album Cry Baby
Hit songs Carousel, Pity Party,
Soap
Carousel was featured in
American Horror Story
The Voice USA Contestant of
2012 eliminated in the fifth
week auditioned with a
twisted cover of Britney
Spears Toxic
Opened for Adam Lambert on
tour
Signed to Atlantic Records
American Singer/Songwriter
from New York

PITY PARTY MUSIC VIDEO

The Meaning Behind Pity

Party

This song revolves around Cry Baby inviting her friends and a boy she likes
to her birthday party, but no one is showing up. She begins to wonder why
she puts so much into everything just to be alone at the end of the day.
The heart on every cursive letter lyric shows how she regrets doing
something childish to invite her guests. It makes her seem immature and is
doubting whether little personal touches like adorning every invitation
wont get other people to attend her gathering blaming herself for the
absence of her friends. She tries to lessen the pain shes enduring by
saying its okay because she gets all the cake, despite no one showing up.
She also says forever, which may mean she expects this to happen every
year.
A turning point of her emotions is referenced in the lines, I'm laughing, I'm
crying, It feels like I'm dying. No one came to her party, so she is very
emotional and cant control it not knowing whether to cry or laugh it off.
Her sanity is slipping away. Finally, in the end, she decides that she is her
own person- without anyone else. She can do what she wants (even crying)
and doesnt have to deal with the cultural differences.

Music videos demonstrate genre

characteristics. (e.g. stage performance in
metal videos, dance routine for boy/girl band,
aspiration in Hip Hop).

Goodwins theory states that each genre has

particular characteristics that define its
genre. Melanie Martinezs Pity Party is
alternative pop/electropop genre and there
are a number of factors which contribute to
creating a alternative pop/electropop music
video.

A narrative occurs along with the

actual performance of the music.
Usually involves a main theme
throughout the entirety of the
video, looking quite artistic.
A theme that is very often part of
most synthpop music videos is
bright colours and contrasting
lighting.
There are many uses of close ups
so it is made clear that someone is
the main focus.
Major reference to the appearance
of the artist.
There is a heavy focus on the
performance and the artist
themselves, giving a clear view on
how important the appearance of
the artist is and how into fashion
and hair and make-up is.

There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals. The

lyrics are represented with images. (either illustrative,
amplifying, contradicting).

Melanie Martinezs Pity Party is narrative

based, focusing on Martinezs alter ego, Cry
Baby, alone at her own pity party. Her
insanity gets the best of her as her party
continues with teddy bears and fake
greetings, leading her to set her own house
on fire.

 Tell me why the hell no one is here. Tell me what

to do to make it all feel better.
Just means there's way more cake for me.
Forever, forever.
It's my party and I'll cry if I want to.
I'll cry until the candles burn down this place. I'll
cry until my pity party's in flames.
I'm laughing, I'm crying. It feels like I'm dying.

The demands of the record label will include

the need for lots of close ups of the artist and
the artist may develop motifs which recur
across their work (a visual style).
There are many close-ups of the artist performing
the song throughout Pity Party. This brings the
audience closer to the artist and establishes the
artists role in the music video. Close-ups are also
used not only to show emotions, but to reflect the
words of the song with the movement of the lips of
the artist.

Melanie Martinez uses her close-ups to

focus mainly on her facial reactions.
During these close-ups, we experience
Martinez looking crazy and
psychotic.

The artist may develop motifs or

iconography that recur across
their work (a visual style).

Melanie Martinezs first studio album Cry

Baby develops a motif of storybook and fairy
tale family figures that recur throughout many
of her music videos.

Melanie Martinez aka Cry Baby featured in Pity

Party, Cry Baby and Training Wheels.

Melanie Martinez portrays a continuous storybook setting throughout

her music videos, and these videos match the stylings/artwork that
came across in her own storybook which was featured alongside the
release of her album, Cry Baby.

There are often intertextual

reference (to films, TV
programmes, other music videos
etc).

It's my party and

I'll cry if I want
to.

As the Pity Party video ends we see

the cake that says "Happy Birthday
Cry Baby, which is an intertextual
reference to her album Cry Baby.

ZAYN Pillow Talk

Background Artist
Information
Zain Javadd "Zayn" Malik
Age 23
Used to be in worldwide sensation
boy group One Direction, but left in
2015 to pursue his own solo career
Released his debut solo album
Mind of Mine in 2015
Songs Pillow Talk, Like I Would,
Befour
From Bradford, England
Collaborated with Kehlani, Chris
Brown and Snakehips
Won an Asian award for Outstanding
Contribution to Music
Well known for previously dating
Little Mixs Perrie Edwards.

PILLOW TALK MUSIC VIDEO

The Meaning Behind Pillow

Talk

Directed by Bouha Kazmi, the accompanying music video for

"Pillowtalk" premiered on YouTube on 29 January 2016. Gigi Hadid
and Zayn appear in the clip, which features retro graphics,
kaleidoscopic and shattered-mirror effects. The music video finds
Zayn navigating a sexual fantasia, with a flower covering a
mysterious woman's genitals and female silhouettes ogling each
other, the former played by actress Jodie Turner-Smith. Hadid
appears swirling around the singer, hypnotises him and eventually
provokes technicolour tears. They navigate a kaleidoscopic
dreamscape, where they make out, make up and cry black tears
as Zayn sings.

Music videos demonstrate genre

characteristics. (e.g. stage performance in
metal videos, dance routine for boy/girl band,
aspiration in Hip Hop).

Goodwins theory states that each genre has

particular characteristics that define its
genre. Zayns Pillow Talk is pop/r&b genre
and there are a number of factors which
contribute to creating a pop/r&b music
video.

If the artist is male than the

performers are stereotypically
female.
They are stereotypically seen as
happy and portrayed to be
enjoying life; they wear
fashionable, stylish and
mainstream outfits.
Characters tend to be genetically
good looking to appeal to the
audience and the artists hair and
makeup is styled to express
themselves and it commentates
their views and feelings.
Designer clothing is worn by pop
stars to promote their image.
Props vary from different lyrics;
sometimes there may be drugs
and alcohol or instruments.

There is a relationship between lyrics and

visuals. The lyrics are represented with
images. (either illustrative, amplifying,
contradicting).
The Pillow Talk music video finds Zayn navigating
a sexual fantasia, with a flower covering a
mysterious woman's genitals and female silhouettes
ogling each other. He sings about reckless
behaviour through sexual matters with a woman
whom he shares a love/hate relationship with.

The demands of the record label will include the need

for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may
develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual
style).

There are many close-ups of the artist performing

the song throughout Pillow Talk. This brings the
audience closer to the artist and establishes the
artists role in the music video. Close-ups are also
used not only to show emotions, but to reflect the
words of the song with the movement of the lips of
the artist.

Zayn uses his closeups to focus mainly on

his miming of the
lyrics, and to really
focus his eyes on
staring deep into the
camera. He tends to
keep his hands to his
sides whilst he tilts his
head from side to side
as he sings along to
the song.

The artist may develop motifs or iconography

that recur across their work (a visual style).
Throughout Zayns Pillow Talk music video and his other works,
Zayn himself focuses mainly on the camera, standing and
breaking the fourth wall whilst he mimes along to the lyrics of
the song. He occasionally admires the lead girl of his music
video too.

There are often intertextual reference

(to films, TV programmes, other music
videos etc).

Unlike most pop/r&b music videos, Zayns Pillow Talk doesnt

appear to obtain any straightforward intertextual references,
however it can be seen like many other music videos and TV
programmes/films that Zayn and the other characters in his
music video experience similar aspects to other characters
like making out and smashing guitars.

Paramore
Justin Bieber

Chris Brown and