2. “Hurt” Christina Aguilera
"Hurt" is a song by American
recording artist Christina
Aguilera. It was written by
Aguilera, Linda Perry and Mark
Ronson, and produced by
Perry for Aguilera's fifth studio
album, Back to Basics (2006).
"Hurt" received positive
reviews from music critics,
who praised Aguilera's vocals
and the song's production.
Commercially, the song
attained moderate success in
the United States, peaking at
number 19 on the Billboard
Hot 100; it was certified gold
by the Recording Industry
Association of America (RIAA),
having sold more than 1.1
million copies in the United
States alone, according to
Nielsen SoundScan.
3. “Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics
(e.g. stage performances in metal videos, dance
routines for boy/girls bands) “
Goodwin’s theory states that each genre of music has specific characteristics that
defines the type of genre it is. Christina Aguilera’s “Hurt” is clearly a part of the
pop genre and there are a huge number of factors which contribute to creating a
pop music video overall.
An important convention of pop videos is a performance within the music video,
in which we massively witness within this video. Also, within a video we usually
see performance-based or narrative based, which involves the artist performing
throughout. In this case, Christina Aguilera’s video “Hurt” is narrative based
video, as we see her play a certain character with involved clips of her
singing. Overall, connecting to Goodwin’s theory demonstrating genre
characteristics.
A well known convention of a pop music video is using the fade effect and
using quick cuts when editing, which has been portrayed within this music
video clearly. This music video starts of with an old fashion circus which
later fades in to Christina Aguilera sitting down. There are many obvious
jump cuts throughout the music
video which bring it all together
as one. As the video comes to an
End, the camera zooms out and
uses the fade effect to bring it
to an overall close.
4. “There is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals
(Either illustrative, amplifying or contradicting)”
Christina Aguilera’s “Hurt” is narrative-based, due to the storyline
being presented and described through the lyrics. The lyrics explain a
relationship between a father an daughter being torn apart due to his
death. We also see the relationship falling apart when the daughter
(Christina Aguilera within this case) follows her dreams due to her
father giving her advice to go for it. Throughout this music video we
get a clear understanding of what the video means due to the way its
been portrayed. “Seems like yesterday when I saw your face” “Are you
looking down upon me”, are just a couple lyrics that really capture the
pain in her words when she is singing them.
The lyrics are clearly reflected within the
video through the use of visual
appearance. The video features past
insight into the females childhood with
her father and how later on within her life
they fall apart and there relationship some
what fades away. There is a strong
relationship between the lyrics and the
visuals as the video really illustrates and
explains the lyrics, showcasing and
portraying the story.
5. There is a relationship between the music and the visuals
(Either illustrative, amplifying or contradicting)”
The relationship between the music and the visuals within
Christina Aguilera’s music video “Hurt” is a strong
relationship. This is shown through the order and timing of
the cuts that go with the beat of the track. The cuts and
effects that are used are to create a smooth fade that will run
out evenly, without the music video looking unnatural.
There are a range of close-ups of Christina Aguilera when
singing the song, which overall shows the relationship
between the music and the visuals as a whole. This makes the
audience clear of who the artist is as the whole video is about
her. This works to promote Christina Aguilera as multi-
talented, as she is a singer and an actress within this case.
6. “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 (E.g. A visual style) “
Within Christina Aguilera’s music video “Hurt” we see many close-ups of the artist throughout. This is a
camera angle that brings the audience closer to the artist and possibly makes them feel the way the
celebrity is feeling. Within this case, there are many emotions in this music video that are clear to the
audience. Certain camera angles are used to get a closer understanding of the lyrics due to the
movement of the artist’s lips.
Christina Aguilera always has emphasis on her lips when there
are extreme close-ups in the music video. There is usually some
activity happening when she is singing E.g. looking into the
distance etc. Within “hurt” by Christina Aguilera she doesn’t
necessary look into the lens, but past the lens into the distance,
with a really natural look.
7. “There are frequent reference to the notion of looking (screens
within screens, telescopes, etc.) and particularly voyeuristic
(sexual) treatment of the female body”
Within the music video, there are not that many notions being made by a male towards the main artist
Christina Aguilera. The only time we do see this happen is when people are surrounding Aguilera after
she has achieved greatly. The characters look and watch her, possibly in a sexual manner. They are all
surrounding her and taking pictures of her, which makes the main artist, within this case, Christina
Aguilera more appealing to the audience then she already is.
The mise en scene, regarding costume, is very out there with Christina
Aguilera’s outfits within this music video. This could be a technique
used to portray Christina Aguilera as a sexually desirable artist, which
would clearly popularise her as an artist for the male viewers in
particular, but possibly classy as well.
Although the outfits Christina might be wearing are possibly sexual
and outgoing, the camera work used has some what not portrayed
this. With the main angles on her whole body and not just one feature
(breasts, legs and bottom) really makes the audience listen to the
lyrics she’s singing. Which overall
gives us a better understanding of
what the words mean instead of
just looking at her as an artist.
8. “There is often intertextual references
(to films, TV programmes, other music
videos, etc.) “
The plot is the key intertextual reference as a young girl is
learning and training how to be in the circus. “Water For
Elephants” is a key example of a young girl working in a circus,
and relates a lot to Christina Aguilera’s music video “Hurt”
due to costumes, props etc.
Another example that was filmed a long time ago is “Carnival
Story” and “Trapeze” both filmed within the 1950’s. overall,
they both has a similar outcome to Christina’s music video
due to it all being about a young girl growing up to work
within a circus.
“Carnival Story”
9. Christina Aguilera’s “Hurt” and “Water For Elephants”.
“Trapeze” and Christina
Aguilera’s music video “Hurt”.
10. “Whether the video is
primarily performance-
based, narrative-based or
concept-based and how
elements of each is used in
it”
Christina Aguilera’s music video “Hurt” is primarily
narrative based because the footage shown within the
music video is following a storyline; a young girl who
goes to the circus with her father wishing to become a
part of it herself. Further following the wish coming true
and sadly her father dying. We also see many flashbacks
of her childhood with her farther as the video is mostly
about him.
However, it is clear that the video is also performance-based because it features Christina
Aguilera singing throughout the music video and acting as the main female lead.
11. “Young and Beautiful” Lana Del Rey
"Young and Beautiful" is a song by American
recording artist Lana Del Rey used for the
soundtrack to the drama film The Great Gatsby
(2013). It was released on April 23, 2013 by
Interscope Records as the lead single from the
record.
A moderate chart success, "Young & Beautiful"
reached the top ten in Australia where it was
later certified platinum by the Recording
Industry Association of America. In May 2013,
the song broke into the Billboard Hot 100; it
peaked at 22 on the chart, making it Del
Rey's highest peak since "Video Games"
peaked at 91 in 2012.
12. “Music videos demonstrate genre
characteristics (e.g. stage performances in
metal videos, dance routines for boy/girls
bands) “
“Young and Beautiful” music video by Lana Del Rey, also known
as Elizabeth Woolridge Grant uses much so her usual style due to
looking very similar to other music videos she has previously
created. She is often shown with red lipstick and very nicely
styled hair, in which she has again portrayed in this music video.
She also adds a certain effect on her video which gives it a
vintage effect and look to it. This is also shown in many of her
other videos, for example in “Summertime Sadness and “West
Coast”.
Lana Del Rey’s music videos also feature a large amount of close
ups on her face when she’s singing the song. Her videos are
mostly performance-based, with sometimes a narrative spin to
them. This could be to show the audience of what she is capable
off. Instead of just showing one type of music video. A common
convention of alternative rock/ indie pop music is using light and
dark colours to create a natural look to the music video.
“Young and Beautiful” shows and uses this convention, due to
using lighting to black-out the details and mostly just showing a
figure to the audience. She also mostly uses reds, black, blues,
purples etc to give it a dark effect overall.
13. “There is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals
(Either illustrative, amplifying or contradicting)”
Due to “Young and Beautiful” being mostly performance based and not a narrative, the lyrics do in fact
have no relation to the visuals we witness in the music video.
The chorus of the song, “Will you still love me…” is rhetorical and
possibly a personal question due to the artist singing it herself.
Also, when this line is being sang, the camera cuts to the artist,
creating a link between the artist’s personal life possibly. The line
“He’s my sun, he makes me shine” has been sung by Lana Del Rey,
this lyric relates to the visuals due to the circular glow
that appears around Lana Del Rey’s figure. Possibly
representing a halo, which relates both lyrics and
visuals together as one.
14. There is a relationship between the music and
the visuals (Either illustrative, amplifying or
contradicting)”
Throughout this music video there clearly isn’t much link
between the music itself and the visuals, apart from the
dullness and dreary tone of the whole song as a whole.
The tone of the song is mirrored and highlighted with the
effects she uses within her videos, especially this one. The
use of the foggy camera work really captures the music
she creates for her audience. The song contains a heavy
beat of the drum, mostly at the beginning, which links to
the close ups of Lana Del Rey singing when the orchestra
is playing throughout. The jump cuts within this music
video are also timed according to the beat of her song
‘Young and Beautiful’.
15. “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 (E.g. A
visual style) “
The demands of the record label for lots of
close-ups was clearly met within ‘Young and
Beautiful’. There are mostly only ever close-
ups within this music video, especially
focusing on the cheeks, lips and eyes of Lana
Del Rey. We get an insight of a couple wide
shots, full length but shot within dark lighting
with shadows so you can only see her figure,
and sometimes her face. The use of close-ups
give the audience a closer and better
understanding of the artist themselves and
also the lyrics they’re portraying. Lana Del Rey
usually has a serious almost disparaging
expression when filming her music videos,
which has also been portrayed within her
other music videos. The use of the serious
look, makes her style sophisticated and classy,
which draws the attention of many different
audiences in.
16. Within ‘Young and Beautiful’ there isn’t many references to the notion of looking and particularly voyeuristic
treatment of the female body, due to having many close ups instead of long shots. When they is a long shot, it
doesn’t focus on the highly sexualised area of her body e.g. breasts, thighs, bottoms. The camera only focuses
on getting an image of her figure within the dark so the light outlines her body, this could be perused as
sexualising Lana Del Rey’s figure as a whole. We see this within this photo from the music video.
The camera itself focuses on the sexualised parts of her body within this music video, due to recording
lots of close ups we see a sexualised part of her face. Her red lips
are made more prominent by the dark lipstick contrasting against
her pale skin, and her eyes have been brightened which make the
audience more intrigued.
“There are frequent reference to the notion of looking (screens
within screens, telescopes, etc.) and particularly voyeuristic
(sexual) treatment of the female body”
17. Lana Dal Rey’s music video “Young
and Beautiful” is related to the
2013 film “The Great Gatsby”. This
song was first single from “The
Great Gatsby” to be released, on
the 23rd April 2013.
“There is often intertextual references (to films, TV
programmes, other music videos, etc.) “
Long, dark dresses were a very
fashionable costume in the 1920’s,
and relates both “The Great Gatsby”
and “Young and Beautiful” together
as this costume is portrayed in both.
18. Mise en scene within Lana Del
Rey’s
music video “Young and Beautiful”
contains costumes that consist of
long dark dresses, wavy hair with
curls that come over her forehead,
as well as her glitzy diamond hoop
earrings, that overall represents
the
fashion in the 1920’s. this overall
links back to the film “THE Great
Gatsby” as it was
set then. The dark lighting and the
effects Lana Del Rey uses over her
video footage gives the music a
vintage look to it, suggesting it was
filmed some time ago.
Extravagant jewellery was an old-fashioned tradition that was an
important aspect in the 1920’. This is shown and portrayed within
“The Great Gatsby” and in Lana Del Rey’s music video “Young and
Beautiful”. Even the poses that both Lana Del Rey and Elizabeth
Debicki from “The Great Gatsby” have very similar poses with
their arms/hands.
19. “Whether the video is primarily performance-based, narrative-
based or concept-based and how elements of each is used in
it”
“Young and Beautiful” by Lana Del Rey is most
definitely is a strong performance-based music
video. Most of the music video is shots of Lana
Del Rey’s orchestra performing the song, with a
few long shots of the artists figure and silhouette
shots.
With the use of the orchestra, this gives it away
to us that the music video is a performance
based video due to them performing as a whole.
Also, due to this being a key convention of a
performance based music video is brings the
whole music video together and makes it what it
is.
20. “Wrecking ball”-Miley Cyrus
"Wrecking Ball" is a song recorded by American
singer Miley Cyrus for her fourth studio album
Bangerz (2013).
It was released on August 25, 2013, by RCA
Records as the album's second single. The song
was written by MoZella, Stephan Moccio, Sacha
Skarbek, Lukasz Gottwald, and Henry Russell
Walter; production was helmed by the last two.
"Wrecking Ball" is a pop ballad which lyrically
discusses the deterioration of a relationship.
"Wrecking Ball" received generally favourable
reviews from music critics, who appreciated its
lyrical content and overall production.
However, some critics questioned if Cyrus'
emotional delivery was genuine, since she had
recently generated controversy for her
increasingly sexual image. It debuted on the
U.S
21. Goodwin’s theory states that each music video has a genre that
has characteristics that defines the genre. Miley Cyrus’s
“Wrecking Ball” id pop genre and throughout the music video we
see different factors that contribute to creating a pop music
video.
Throughout we see as an audience that the most important
convention of pop videos is the performance element. In this
case, we can see Miley Cyrus portraying. The video is usually
either performance-based or narrative based. We see Miley
Cyrus performing within this music video but using a narrative to
do this.
Another key convention within pop music is using the fade in and
fade out effects, which we see many times in this music video. All
the colours are very dull within this music video apart from her
lips and eyes, which overall makes a statement about the video.
The costume Miley is wearing is white and contains a crop top
and white underwear, which makes and audience massively
intrigued to watch more of the video. The setting of the video is
unusual as it just contains a brick wall and
a “Wrecking Ball”.
“Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics (e.g. stage
performances in metal videos, dance routines for boy/girls
bands) “
22. Miley Cyrus’s “Wrecking Ball” is performance based that contains a
narrative and is portrayed through the use of her facial expressions
and the lyrics she sings. The lyrics describe a couple or relationship
that has been broken and torn apart. The lyrics tell a story through
the use of words. Possibly about Miley Cyrus’s relationships.
The lyrics are shown through the use of her facial expressions, and
the “Wrecking Ball” that is in the music video with her.
“There is a relationship between the lyrics and the
visuals (Either illustrative, amplifying or contradicting)”
The wrecking ball in this music video
represents her relationship being
broken down and coming to a end. The
wrecking ball crashing through the
brick wall really gives the lyrics a
certain meaning when listening to the
words she sings.
23. There is a clear relationship between the music and the
visuals in “Wrecking Ball”, shown through the use of close
ups of Miley Cyrus’s face. This is also shown through the
use of jump cuts and the timing of the cuts throughout
the music video. This is used within many music videos to
make a video look more natural and consistent with the
beat of the song.
There is a range of different close ups of Miley Cyrus
which gives the audience a sense of how she is feeling
through the use of facial expressions. Also, showing the
relationship between the music and the visuals.
Even when the music video
starts there is a close up of
Miley Cyrus with tears in
her eyes, which makes the
audience more intrigued
to watch.
There is a relationship between the music and the
visuals (Either illustrative, amplifying or
contradicting)”
24. There are many close-ups of the artist performing the song throughout “Wrecking Ball”. This is clear to
the audience that it brings us closer to the artist and it gives us a better understanding of what the
music video means and who the artist actually is. We see this through the use of words and the
different camera angles used. Close-ups are also used not to only create emotion but to reflect the
words Miley Cyrus is singing through the movement of the artists lips. Also, considering Miley Cyrus’s
lips within this music video are red, they stand out, giving the audience a better understanding as we
are attracted to them.
“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 (E.g. A visual style) “
Miley Cyrus doesn’t have a particular motif when
singing, we just see the emotion and emphasis on
her lips in extreme close-ups and close-ups. She is
also usually doing something when singing, and
within this case, she's using her hair/ putting her
hands on her head as a prop through the music
video.
25. Within this music video, there are many
references to the notion of looking and
particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female
body. Especially through the use of clothes
Miley Cyrus is wearing. This is overall
encouraging the audience to indulge in similar
behaviour. If people sexualise the artist, it
makes them more appealing to the viewers.
“There are frequent reference to the notion of looking (screens
within screens, telescopes, etc.) and particularly voyeuristic
(sexual) treatment of the female body”
The mise en scene, regarding costume is very inappropriate, especially to the artists younger audience as she
doesn’t tend to wear much in music videos, and in real life. On the hand, some people enjoy the amount of
clothes she decides to wear. The use of a white crop top and underwear could have am ambiguous meaning as
it could suggest purity, but could also have a sexual meaning as there is not much of her outfit.
26. The plot of the music video is to have a key intertextual
reference that is brought to the audience. Within this video,
the plot is a relationship falling apart, or already has, and she
is using a “Wrecking Ball” to symbolise this. Sinead O
Connor’s song “Nothing compares 2U” is a key example of
using a intertextual reference to make the video have a
meaning.
This is a reference, due to using the same camera work and
effects that has been used within Miley Cyrus’s “Wrecking
Ball” music video. This could or could not of been a deliberate
choice when producing and directing the video but they both
relate due to this.
“There is often intertextual references (to films,
TV programmes, other music videos, etc.) “
Both have close ups that explain the emotions they’re feeling
when singing.
27. “Wrecking Ball” is primarily a performance
based music video with the use of facial
expressions to give it a narrative and a
certain meaning. There is not a clear
understanding story line throughout but the
audience can get a sense of what Miley
Cyrus is trying to portray, with the use of the
camera angles and the lyrics she sings.
“Whether the video is
primarily performance-based,
narrative-based or concept-
based and how elements of
each is used in it”
We overall get an insight and understanding from the lyrics Miley Cyrus is singing what the song is
actually about how she is feeling when singing.
