Music video analysis

1. Music video
analyse
Lorde

3. LordeLorde (Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor) is a singer, songwriter and
producer from New Zealand that specialises in indie pop. Lorde was
signed to Universal music group in her early team and became musical
acquaintances with songwriter and record producer Joel Little- who
has worked with other artists like Broods, Sam Smith, Imagine
Dragons, Ellie Goulding, Khalid ect. Her debut single ‘Royals’ was
released in 2013 and became an international crossover hit and made
her the youngest solo artist to achieve a US number-one single on the
Billboard Hot 100 since 1987. Lorde went on curated a soundtrack for
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014) and provided its lead
single, "Yellow Flicker Beat". Lorde released her second studio album
Melodrama (2017) after a three-year hiatus, launched with "Green
Light" as its lead single. She served as executive producer alongside
Jack Antonoff. The record dealt with themes of heartbreak and
solitude. She has earned two Grammy Awards, a Brit Award and ten New
Zealand Music Awards. In 2013, she was named among Time's most
influential teenagers in the world, and in the following year, she
was part of Forbes's "30 Under 30" list.

4. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics.
(e.g. stage performance in metal videos, dance
routine for boy/girl band, aspiration in Hip
Hop).
Lighting
In the video for ‘Green light’, the lighting is mainly studio lighting with UV
filters to add colours like red, green and pink to accentuate the songs title green
light and give a retro appearance linking to the music style Lorde has gain her
reputation in the industry. Because the video was shot at night-time, sun light
couldn’t be used as it wasn’t there however the darkness meant that street lights and
other sources of night that reflected on the screen add uniqueness and authority
stimulating the audience to relate to the situation and songs underline meaning.
Every concept involved in the video is a reflection of Lorde and the songs context
therefore the red light casing over the screen signifies the peak of the song as the
beat drops and the chorus approaches and the green shimmers that highlight her face
as she moves to the tune as it intensifies paying sutal tribute to the song being
able giving the green light to change. From the beginning of the sequence, a white
studio light is cast over her face to indicate that she is the main focus of the
video and give it a personal feeling as you feel as though you are watching a raw and
real insight into Lorde.
Performance
The video follows the narrative video theme used in many videos and artists like
Lorde because it gives them the opportunity to express their style through visual art
and have the first hand chance to make their music being shown in the way she wants
it too by telling a story. This enables the audience to understand what they are
listening too rather than just watching a video and liking how it sounds- this
encourages the audience to relate her music to other artists like pop side of indie
music such as Taylor Swift, HAIM and Ellie Goulding therefore those who are just
discovering Lorde as she starts her career will associate it with artists they like
meaning they feel the urge to watch the videos again and discover more of her music.

5. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics.
(e.g. stage performance in metal videos, dance
routine for boy/girl band, aspiration in Hip
Hop).
Editing
Camera
The editing for the video conforms to the indie pop genre it is representing with the
fast pace editing to accentuate the musical style and subconsciously encourages a
desire to watch on as it appears as though it is a short film rather than a music
video. The editing differs based on the pitch of the song as it progresses in beat- as
the song reaches its chorus and the main focus, Lorde, begins breaking into dance and
interacting with the camera adding depth to the song allowing the audience to watch as
Lorde shows her creativity and connect with the song therefore fast pace community
editing is used to synergize with the songs tempo. The editing help the consumers to
understand that each element of the editing has a significant meaning for the song and
artists preference therefore it suits each part of the song- for example, for the first
45 seconds of the song the editing is slow and minimalistic so that the focus on Lordes
face can be acknowledged and the emotion in the song as be accentuated helping the
viewer to decide if the music is what they would want and to appreciate how the video
is visually perfect for her music and style.
The camera shots for the video are minimalistic to focus on the details rather than
whole picture unlike in other videos that fit in the pop genre where the props and
locations become the most significant aspects to focus most attention on but to echo
the indie sound the simplistic tactic appears to be the more important thing. The
shooting of the film appears to be taken on a hand held camera to make the video appear
more authentic and less ‘professional’ and controlled. The video has certain shots shot
on film rather than digitally to conform to the idea of this begin a simple yet
effective concept and bring a unique technique that makes it stand out more as it is
common for all music videos to be shot on digital as it means more ideas can be carried
out more easily for all than on film as it is harder to get and more complex. Close ups
are used on several occasions to show the facial expressions and key features of the
artist as she lip syncs to the song and allows her music to represent her, long shots
are used as she dances to indicate her care free outlook and encourage others to relate
her music as a song you can dance to and allow the audience to enjoy as much as she is.

6. Music videos demonstrate genre
characteristics. (e.g. stage
performance in metal videos, dance
routine for boy/girl band, aspiration
in Hip Hop).
Style/appearance
For the video, Lorde challenges her more feminine side with the
pops of pink to accentuate her presents and sheer outfits to show
her sexuality and show clear links to the male gaze as she is
revealing skin without over sexualising herself for media
coverage or attention, unlike some artists mainly female who
chose to use their bodies as their main selling point to gain
fans. The mainly black and white colour scheme helps to help
every outfit wore in the video to be shown clearly and help
appreciate how each detail including the outfit relate to the
song style as well as conform to Lordes unique yet up to date
self style. Lorde has a youthful style to reflect her young age
and stylish nature that has become an icon in the fashion
industry as she is able to combine both feminine and masculine
fashion in a flattering way that at times predict future trends-
an example of her style can is seen in the fact that throughout
the video Lorde is seen wearing a pair of black and white Adidas
Superstars with each of her dresses and coordinating outfits she
wears to show that she is challenges the idea that just being you
are dressed up it doesn’t mean you don’t have to be comfortable
in what you wear if it makes you feel confident and empowered in
your own skin. The bright colours give visual confirmation that
the audiences eyes should be locked on the artist and every
movement and action she progresses to take. Her make up and hair
remains solely simplistic throughout as Lorde wants her outfit to
be the statement in the video instead of her make up- with her
bold eyebrows the main feature of the face with blush and lip
gloss to add to the look rather than overpower which is the way
Lorde appears to like her look to be like on a daily basic, Her
hair is kept wet and natural adding to the care free look she has
taken on through her looks and music.

7. There is a relationship between lyrics and
visuals. The lyrics are represented with
images. (either illustrative, amplifying,
contradicting).
“ When we kissed on the midnight floor”- A close up shows Lorde dancing on a dance floor in a club setting whilst caressing
her lips which can be interpreted as the midnight floor meaning the dance floor and her lips being the focus point as it
relates to the song and gives the impression this song links to an experience in her life inspiring the song to be written
and created.
“ I whisper thing in the city for you”- Lorde dances in the street whilst moving around a pole on the pavement with slight
sight of the city light in the background to relate to the city being a relevant place.
“ I hear new sounds”- As this song is being played a man playing the piano in the background of a dark room with a green
tinted light being casted over him – linking to the songs title and chorus peak but also to the fact it is producing a
classic sound that isn't heard much in indie pop music as it is in other genres therefore is playing on the idea of a new
sound like the lyric states.
“ I’m watching for that green light”- The lighting in the shot has a green tint for a split second giving a visual indicate
that the sound has a green light theme in the video as well as the song.
“ I want it”- Lorde begins pointing to herself whilst smiling expressively into the camera is a mid shot transitions into a
shot reverse shot where she is lip syncing into the camera than singing into the mirror. The fact that she is pointing at
herself implies that she is telling a story that she can relate to therefore the fact she is highlighting the ‘I’
illustrates the idea the song is about her taking what she wants.
“ I’m waiting cause I want it- that green light”- as the beat drops and it becomes more slow pace and the editing aspect
adds atmosphere by doing more directly and repressed the emotional in the song is seen through a close up on the face of
Lorde. The mid shot shows a distort Lorde making direct eye contract with the camera as her facial features soften and less
in tune with the party pace of the song.

8. There is a relationship between music and visuals.
The tone and atmosphere of the visual reflects that
of the music. (either illustrative, amplifying,
contradicting).
Throughout the video the relationship between both the music and the visual linking to the
tone and atmosphere is evident. The mise-en-scene is substantial in creating tone and
atmosphere as it shows the convention the artist and song is following so that for the
audience they can understand what genre they are listening to and what they are viewing so
they are subconsciously decide whether they are will continue to watch based on an individuals
preference- for Lordes her musical is indie pop with a strongly influenced style for pop
therefore the pops of colours, different lighting choices and neutral locations that does
offend anyone confirm the style of her music. Lorde wearing one outfit throughout the video, a
fluorescent pink wrap dress that accentuates her figure and monochrome Adidas trainers the
show her fun, out there style and self decided style but also to show she is a young women
enjoying herself making music the colours relate to the songs idea as it shows that standing
out in a crowd for being honest and yourself is critical much like what the lyrics are
suggesting. The lighting differs through a contrast of colours set the atmosphere because as
the tempo becomes more lively indicating the upcoming chorus, a red/ pink hue is casted
creating a brightly coloured silhouette spotlight over Lorde as she expresses herself through
suggestive dance movements yet as a more slow and meaningful section of the song is played a
dark lighting choice is used to give a visual indicate that this part is more emotional. These
colour choices show a new side to Lorde which is more youthful and honest with what she is
saying and how she is acting giving the song and video more personality and understanding when
listening. The editing cutting to show Lorde in different positions and locations give the
video a more personal and authentic look as it appears to be like she is being filmed on a
night out individually enjoying her time as she moves on from previous events and lets out her
frustration through dancing- by each shot being edited in such a way it gives the audience the
opportunity to show the contrast in how she is feeling as the song changes and the time lapse
continues giving a visual reassurance that the songs atmosphere is being viewed first hand
therefore appreciating the artistic idea behind the music video giving uniqueness. A large
majority of the video is long, mid and close up shots of Lorde lip syncing the song in a
natural way because she doesn’t let the cameras distract her from showing the facial
expressions she wants to convey through the video; by these shots being used solely throughout
it creates a metaphorical connect between herself and the viewer watching as it means that the
eye contact being given between both party help to make the view relate to what is being sung
and feel the urge to find more music made by Lorde. Pan shots were also featured twice in the
video as Lorde makes her way down a deserted pavement as traffic pasts and city lights
illuminate the back ground help the audience to fell they are in the moment with her because
it’s a simple concept that highlights with the music and message as it feels appropriate in
the moment- furthermore, it represents the songs tempo progression as the chorus builds.

9. The demands of the record label will include the need
for lots of close ups of the artistand the artist may
develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual
style).
The record labels demand in this video can be acknowledged through simple traits that
compliment the song style based on the codes and conventions set out for music videos alike,
but also give the audience to ability to visually interpret an opinion of the artist so they
can decide if the sound they are listening to and the visuals they are viewing are what is
their preference. Lorde is the only person seen in the video therefore every shot has her lip
syncing and connecting with her audience through eye contact therefore she is making herself
interesting to watch through her movements. The demands can be communicated through the shot
as it gives Lorde the chance to show herself as being a individual artist that offers a unique
factor that would make people listening feel so isn't like other pop artists like Ellie
Goulding therefore her edgy appearance and memorising music style will show she is the new
generation of pop artists. Because Lorde is an artist that has already had a career in the
industry and has become a name that is remember because of her hit song ‘Royals’ the record
label want to maintain the image set but also show visually that she has transition in her
song style and appearance to help increase the interest and success in the future as more
music is produced and videos are created. The motif of Lorde and her video is a representation
of a story being told therefore performance is a huge aspect of the videos made; the dance
movements, location changing and varied style choices are consistent add to the visual
impression Lorde is giving to the consumers watching her video on platforms like YouTube. By
having a performance inspired motif that isn't clique like those shown in videos made by pop
artists like Taylor Swift and Katy Perry, shows that although she is a pop artist mostly she
doesn’t see herself as the same as others therefore portrays herself away from those
stereotypes set as she is independence and creative in her own right. Although her music is
pop it is much darker and meaningful therefore cannot be full connected to other artists in
the industries especially for the female influences- because of the fact she is honest with
her musical preference and doesn’t feel pressured by people to repeat things it makes her a
role model to other women in the industry or females watching her and taking inspiration from
the messages she speaks about in her songs and fashion statements she makes to embrace
herself.

10. There is frequent reference to notion of looking (screens
within screens, mirrors, stages, etc) and particularly
voyeuristic treatment of the female body
The notion of looking appears frequently in the video when engaging in eye contact with the
viewers however the main featuring of eye contact is during the repetitive use of a bathroom
mirror which Lorde sing into creating the impression she is singing to you, expressing her
feelings about how they song is about and why it has such a significant meaning to her. This
eye contact is intense and meaningful therefore the audience feel the intense emotion being
given enabling a connection between them and Lorde to be recognised adding to the narrative
influence of the video as you feel involved in the sequence of events that follow each shot
of her looking into the camera. This creates the impression that you are watching the story
unfold as you take on this role as the cameramen capturing the adventure Lorde is going on
as it transitions in location and style because you become the main focus on Lordes
attention. Because of this, it will support the likability of the Lorde and her music as the
connection from the looking creates a parallel between just being a view and being part of
the video as it convinces you that you have a link to what is being sung. The eye contact is
more intense as the slow pace section of the song is being sung to accentuate the emotive
aspect and meaning behind this particular section and as the tempo increases for the songs
peak the eye contact is broken to encourage dance and movement however you still feel the
desire to watch on. The camera tracks Lordes every moment, meaning that every aspect of her
body and outfits choices will be exposed to the camera as long tracking shots are used in
various sections of the video therefore the audiences eyes are going to be sub consciously
attracted to look at what she doing and what she is wearing, conforming to the idea of the
male gaze created by Mulvey. Lorde wears a bright pink sheer dresses that is tight revealing
her feminine figure that has a seductive style on her body which encourages a wider audience
that may not typically find much interest in pop artist like Lorde yet find that watching
this video has a visual empowerment to watch. Several different colours are featured and in
the surrounding areas of Lorde could have major impact on the idea of the female body
linking to the theory of male gaze being a strong factor in music videos in every genre
especially in pop music. The colours divert the eyes to focus on the colours main focus
which in this case is consistently seen on Lordes dress conforming to the concept of the
male gaze as it is featured solely on her body- the pink from the dress is accentuated by
the fact the dark, green hue lighting adds to the colours power and the shots in the dark
make it noticeable to the eye to engage with- the pink worn shows her confidence, power and
beauty.

11. The artists may develop motifs or iconography
that recur across their work (a visual style)
There are certain aspects featured in Lordes videos that have has common consistency to
them, from the colour schemes, visual styling and camera shots. Each video Lorde has
released has had a performance aspect to them shown through expressive movement, intense eye
contact and fashion choices to reflect the songs meaning as well as her creative ability to
create a visual interpretation on each songs meaning- in ‘Royals’, Lorde is seen walking
around reflecting on what is being brought up in the topic whilst making movements that
reflect the tempo and bass of the song, which shows that Lorde replies on simplicity to make
her music heard therefore encourages the audiences imagination to decide on how the song
makes them feel.
Another feature of iconography and visual repetition is the fact in every video, Lorde
engaging in intense eye contact with the camera to connect with her audience through the
metaphorical idea of equality being achieved to accentuate the songs meaning whilst making
her stone faced facial impression a main focus of the video. The way Lordes facial features
remain a prominent motif in all of her videos through the use of close up shots, intense
make up and lighting that casts a sinister shadow over her face adding to the reoccurring
idea that although she is a women who embraces her feminine side with make up, fashion
forward styling statements and make-up, she has a darker side that allows her to take on a
new persona through the music she makes therefore she accentuates the idea that she other
match into one category as her style is dependant on what people want or think about her but
instead is based on how she wants things to be perceived. The locations featured in her
music video is another trait that has become a motif for Lorde and her music because she
tends to differ between the concept of being a single person existing in a busy place yet
she is the only one standing out and being acknowledged therefore is the only one featured,
Lorde moves around as though she is moving around the air that mimic people who would be on
those streets like in ‘Green light’ and ‘Perfect places’ and her being by herself in a
darker setting that gives a deeper insight into the character she is playing. The lighting
is either bright low key lighting that reveals the whole face, creating a silhouette style
shadow creating a scary visual and the varied lighting changes that indicate isolation,
loneliness and vulnerability that her indie pop style can suggest.