1. Christina Aguilera-
‘Beautiful’ Case
Study
By starting with a short, These two words are
simple and associated with self
monosyllabic sentence a image and project ideas
poignant tone is set. The relating to current
simplicity and clarity pressure to conform to
enhances the sentiment Don't look at me an idealistic bodily
of the line as it image. The words
underlines the Every day is so wonderful indicate a sense of
depressing quality of the And suddenly, it's hard to breathe insecurity and lack of
Now and then, I get insecure
song. confidence which are
From all the fame, I'm so ashamed
key themes of the music
I am beautiful no matter what they say video.
Words can't bring me down
The repetition used I am beautiful in every single way
demonstrates the artist’s Yes, words can't bring me down
attempts to reassure So don't you bring me down today
herself and bring comfort
To all your friends, you're delirious This illustrates a sense
to her situation. This is So consumed in all your doom
further enhanced with the of loneliness and
Trying hard to fill the emptiness
use of ‘yes’ as the short isolation.
The piece is gone and the puzzle undone
word illustrates conviction That's the way it is
and passion.
You are beautiful no matter what they say
Words won't bring you down The word ‘today’
You are beautiful in every single way makes the issues in the
Yes, words won't bring you down song contemporary.
Don't you bring me down today...
Even though the song
At this point in the lyrics No matter what we do was released in 2001
the personal pronouns (no matter what we do) the use of present
change from ‘I’ and ‘you’ No matter what they say tense allows listeners
to ‘we’. This suggests a (no matter what they say) to relate to the lyrics
sense of shared experience When the sun is shining through at any time.
and emotion. The artist is Then the clouds won't stay
demonstrating that
And everywhere we go
insecurities affect (everywhere we go)
everyone, thus the artist The sun won’t always shine
may be intending to (sun won't always shine)
express a global message. But tomorrow will find a way The sun suggests
All the other times optimism and
hope. Being placed
We are beautiful no matter what they say near to the end of
Yes, words won't bring us down the song projects a
We are beautiful no matter what they say sense of hope for
Yes, words can't bring us down
the audience to
Don't you bring me down today
The repetition used at hold on to and they
the end of the lyrics Don't you bring me down today may feel
adds emphasis to the Don't you bring me down today contented.
moral message being
cc
expressed in the song.

2. Many of the key themes and ideas of the music video are exposed in the first shot of
the video with a close up of the artist. The artist is shown turned away from the
camera with her hand placed over her face suggesting an immediate miserable and
poignant tone. She has a shabby and tattered style suggesting
depression which is further enhanced through her make up as
the use of smoky black eye shadow indicates sorrow and
pain.
In a later long shot the audience are revealed to the artist’s
simplistic, monochrome and dull costume reinforcing the
gloomy tone. Vulnerability is emphasised with the
exposure of the artist’s skin and the empty room indicates
isolation and dejection. These ideas divert from the usual
conventions of contemporary music videos as the lack of
glamour and extravagance generates original and inventive ideologies.
Being a narrative music video, there are many moral messages projected. The song
focuses on many controversial topics and explores social pressures regarding
appearance and individuality. In one of the many narratives shown in the music video
a girl rips up a fashion magazine and throws the pieces into a fireplace. This suggests
her disgust of society’s compulsion for the perfect appearance and the close up places
emphasis on this moral concern. This objection is further
enhanced later in the music video when another character
smashed a mirror after becoming increasingly frustrated with
her reflection. It seems that the artist is attempting to evoke
feelings and opinions in the
audience by exploring extreme personal turmoil and
intense individual beliefs which is highly unusual for a
music video, making it incredibly unique.
The locations illustrated in the music video are mundane and ordinary for example, a
bus, bench and a bedroom. This use of everyday locations is effective in making the
issues outlined personal and close to the audience, thus successfully evoking an
emotional response. This poignant reaction if further enhanced through the video’s

3. sense of progression as the characters seem to develop throughout the video from
grief to contentment. At the end of the music video all the characters smile into the
camera developing an emotional connection with the audience, thus increasing the
audience’s empathetic response.