The music video for "Youth" by the indie rock band Daughter is filmed in a studio using low-key black and white lighting. This stripped back style focuses attention on the music instead of visuals. The lyrics are reflected visually, such as shadows casting over the frontwoman's face. Shots of each band member individually give a sense of loneliness that relates to the lyrics and genre. The full band is shown performing live to emphasize the music. As an indie band not promoting singles, the video features only the three band members to introduce them to the audience. The frontwoman is portrayed respectfully without objectification, breaking norms for many music videos.

1. Daughter- Youth

2. 1. Demonstration of Genre
Characteristics
Daughter is an ambient indie rock band and this genre is represented in the
music video. The video itself is all shot in a studio relying on only low key
lighting using a black and white filter. This is to keep the focus of the music
video on the actual music and the three band members. The stripped back
effect represents the indie rock genre and how it is about the music rather
than the “image” which is more of the case amongst the pop genre.

3. 2. Relationship between lyrics and
visuals
Goodwin’s theory is shown in Daughter’s “Youth” visually like for example
with the lyrics “Shadows settle on the place that you left,” with the use of low
key lighting to cast shadows over the front woman, Elena’s face. Another
example of this is in the lyrics “Our minds are troubled by the emptiness.”
because of the way the shots tend to only show one band member at a time
giving a sense of loneliness. Also due to the fact that they shoot the whole
video in the studio shows that it is empty with no props or distractions.

4. 3. Relationship between music and
visuals
In terms of a relationship between the music and the visuals you can
physically see the band performing the song live. For example we see the
drummer, Igor at one point actually drumming the beat and this again elicits
the idea that the video is completely about the music rather than artist image
or any thing else. This is a generic technique amongst music of this genre as it
shows the live element
of the music.

5. 4. Demands of Record Label
The three members of the band are the only focus of the music video making
this area of Goodwin’s theory the most accurate. There are a number of close
up shots of Elena’s face representing her band as she is the front woman.
Other shots such as medium close ups of the other three band members also
work to show them to the audience and promote the band. Daughter don’t
often release their music as singles/create videos for them and so it is
important for them to be shown in their music videos to put a face to the
music.

6. 5. Notion of Looking/ Voyeuristic
treatment of Female Body
The only woman featured in this music video is the lead singer, Elena who is
portrayed respectfully implying that she had control over the music video and
understands that her audience may not be attracted to the idea of showing
women in a more revealing way and that they are watching the video merely
for the music and to support the band. It is increasingly unlikely that music
videos do not abide by this rule which shows Daughter breaking the mould
and supporting the individuality of the genre.

7. 6. Intertextual References
In terms of Intertextual references Daughter do not make many in this music
video. However the style of the music video is quite like that of a classic film
noir with low key lighting and the use of black and white, stripping it of fancy
effects and expensive equipment and supporting the idea that the video’s
purpose is to show the band performing the music rather than showing
themselves off like a pop music video.

8. 7. Performance/Narrative or Concept
Based.
This music video lacks in narrative and concept as it is a simplistic
performance by the band. Therefore the video is performance based as we
see the three members of the band playing the song. They are each
separated, seeming lonely in the studio which complies to connotations of
the genre which can sometimes include loneliness and solitude. The way the
band work together without being in contact with one another suggests that
they are all lonely despite being together. This also supports the lyrics “and if
you’re in love then you are the lucky one,” as they all stand alone.