Marina and the Diamonds Electro-Pop Conventions Analysis

“Oh No!”
GC1: Lyrics and Visual Narrative
• The video is performance and conceptual
• The singer is criticising consumerism and societal
excess, using recurring images of money
• A set is used and there are many different looks
and mise-en-scene created
• There is simulacra (Baudrillard) created of a
comic book, which is anchored through the text
style
• There is frequent use of colour pop and bright
visuals
• There is a blurring of the Proppian hero and
villain roles with the protagonist
GC2: Genre Characteristics
• The genre of the song is electro-pop
• The bright colours (colour-pop) and
frequent outfit changes are
characteristics of the genre
• The use of an artificial studio mise-en-
scene is conventional as it is a low-
budget option
• The editing is fast-paced to match the
beat
• There are dark lyrics with upbeat dance
movements
 • There is postmodernism through the non-linear
GC3: Intertextuality narrative, which is elliptical (Vernallis)
and Postmodernism • There is intertextuality (Kristeva) and simulacra
(Baudrillard) of a comic book through the visuals and
added graphics
GC4: Representations
• The music video depicts a young woman as the star
and allows for the primary target audience of
females ages 13-25+ to personally identify (UGT)
with the artist
• A younger audience is also targeted through the
playfulness and bright colours
• The singer is conventionally attractive and appeals
to the male gaze (Mulvey) but shows agency
(Paglia)
• There is variation in the costumes and
hairstyle/makeup of each character which broadens
personal identification (UGT)
• The video is alternative as it presents a satire on
societal habits, but this can be ignored in an
oppositional or contested reading (Hall)
GC5: • The colouring is bright and saturated to make the visuals have colour-
pop
Cinematography • There is high-key lighting
• The editing is upbeat to match the tempo of the song, and glitches to match
the looped beats of the song
• There are sliding transitions when changing scenes
and Editing • Added effects and text create an intertextual reference (Kristeva) to
comic books
• Slo-mo, sped up, and reversed are also used to make it seem more
artificial and comic like
Notable Marketing
• Gained major success 10+ years after release after going viral on
TikTok
• Originally promoted on “Big Brother” UK, and as “The Big Bang
Theory” soundtrack promo for the UK as well
Notable Shots
Possible Influences
• Frequent costume changes
• Use of colour-pop and pastel colouring
• A blurring of the Proppian hero/villian character
• Use of props
• Highly constructed mise-en-scene
• Dancing involved