The document analyzes Iggy Azalea and Charli XCX's music video for "Fancy" using Nick Lacey's framework of five genre elements: characters, narrative events, iconography, setting, and technical/audio codes. The video directly copies the characters, costumes, mannerisms, and some iconic scenes from the 1995 film "Clueless". It depicts Iggy and Charli portraying the lead characters from the film at their high school, replicating many American teen stereotypes and 1990s aesthetic cues through clothing, hairstyles and other references. Various technical techniques like camerawork, editing and effects are also used to mimic the style of a "cheesy 1990s pop video". In conclusion,

1. Lacey’s Repertoire of Elements Music video analysis
By Georgia McLaughlin
Title – Fancy
Artist – Iggy azalea (ft. Charli XCX)
Genre – Pop/Rap
Style – Performance and narrative
Nick Lacey is a genre theorist, he is known for Lacey’s repertoire of elements. This refers to
the five Genre elements; Characters, Narrative events, Iconography, Setting and Technical
and audio codes. In the hit Rap/pop song ‘fancy’ by Iggy Azalea and Charli XCX theses 5
elements can be referred to.
The Characters represented in the ‘Fancy’ Video are exact
replicas of the characters in the 1995 teen movie ‘Clueless ’.
The video acts as Pastiche meaning it pays respect to the
original but at the same time it is done in a comedic way
without parody. The video sees Iggy Azalea playing the role of
lead character ‘Cher Harowitz’. She is portrayed as the
stereotypical spoiled high school ‘It girl’, holding all of the
traditional stereotypes to the ‘dumb blonde’. She is
accompanied by Charli XCX who appears to be playing the role
of ‘Tai’ (Cher’s project in the film), in the music video Iggy and
Charli appear to be friends jokingly nudging and dancing
together. There are also various extras playing the roles of
other iconic characters from the movie such as Dee, Murray,
Amber and Christian. The character of Amber acts as the rival
in the Music video constantly trying to ridicule Iggy. Various other American high school
stereotypes are also shown to set the scene and give a real sense of reality such as ‘hippies’,
‘stoners’ and ‘Jocks’.
The video to this song is a mixture of Narrative and performance video styles. The
performance scenes are showing Iggy and Charli singing and dancing in various locations
around the school and at a party. The narrative aspects show exact copies of some of the
film’s most famous scenes. This being said it would not really tell the ‘clueless’ story to
someone who hasn’t seen the film but it would tell the story of the popular girls in high
school going about their days in the comical stereotypical sense that everyone imagines and
see’s in the movies.
The fancy video has a very strong use of iconography due to the constant 90’s references to
the popular teen movie ‘Clueless’ with the use of costume, mannerisms (i.e.- the way Iggy
flips her hair like Cher was known for), The setting (the video was actually shot in the same

2. school as the film). The whole video is almost shot the exact same as the film even down to
the iconic movie titles. The whole feel of the video gives a feel of the 90’s and cheesy pop
music videos. The 90’s feel is particularly clear in the characters costumes; for example on
one of the teenage boys in the classroom scene he is shown wearing oversized dungarees
and many of the girls are seen with fur cuffs on clothing along with extremely bold prints
and colours which is typical of the 90’s era. The Girls hairstyles also reflect the time period
(I.e. Wearing a scrunchie with hair half up half down). There is also use of the virtual closet
which was made iconic by clueless.
Also within the iconography during the debate amber makes a ‘W’ with her hands and
points them at Iggy. This was used as an popular insult in the 90’s and early 00’s meaning
‘whatever’.
Within the setting and mise en scene Iggy is first shown in her bedroom full of high heels
(mainly a pink, white and silver coloured). It is a typical teenage girl’s bedroom aside from
the virtual wardrobe suggesting wealth and style. She
is also wearing a silk dressing gown at this point also
suggesting wealth. In the next scene she is in a class
room. As the camera tracks forward through the
people you can see no one is listening, even the
teacher is shown falling asleep. Pupils are also shown
falling asleep as well as playing with their hair and
fidgeting. Paper flies across the room also portraying a
stereotypical high school. However the audience then
realises it’s not a real classroom as she starts to rap.
Behind her on the white board it clearly says things
like ‘best rapper ever?’ and ‘best rapper alive?’. Later
in the video during the car scene they are seen driving
By Georgia McLaughlin

3. a red car this could foreshadow the events to come and represent the danger as the driver
later panics and takes her hands off the wheel whilst the passengers scream although this is
used for a comedic effect. They are later shown at a party. This includes many American
teenage party movie stereotypes such as ‘coordinated dance routines’ and ‘American style
red cups’.
Within the corridor scene Charli is stood singing in front of some American style school
lockers whilst many students pass by. Many students are also seen on mobile phones which
acts as a more modern stereotype of the teenage lifestyle. There are also other brief shots
set in an outdoor lunch where Iggy and Charli are seen singing area and P.E. class where
another dance routine takes place whilst everyone is dressed in co-ordinated outfits. There
is also lots of bright colours and high key lighting within the mise en scene once again to
convey the feeling of a ‘cheesy 90’s pop video’.
Many technical codes such as camera use, editing, sound and SFX are used throughout the
video. Before the first shot in the video there are a series of titles that replicate those of
clueless. The first shot of the video is a mid-shot of Iggy Azalea in her bedroom choosing an
outfit. This is done to establish her as the main character. This is followed by an over the
shoulder shot of her using the virtual wardrobe. This confirms with the audience that she is
playing the iconic role of Cher Harowitz. There are then several reaction shots of the outfits
she chooses proving that her style means a lot to her and she can be quite pick (and possible
self-important). There is then a cross cut to the classroom scene followed by various cut
away’s to students in the class. Each edit is done on the beat of the song. This is often done
in music videos to make it come across as natural as possible. In the P.E. class scene the
camera tracks sideways along the line of Iggy’s classmates all dressed in the same colours. In
the car scene there is a close up reaction shot of the Donald character when he realises
there is a truck behind them. This is once again done for comedic effect.
Later on when Iggy and Charli enter the party a slow motion effect is used to emphasise
how ‘cool’ they are. This may suggest that everyone at the party stops or slows down just to
see them enter. Also during this scene the edits get quicker reflecting the fast pace of the
party. Many of the shots from the music video are copies of the film.
In conclusion I have found that the music video to fancy by Iggy Azalea and Charli XCX does
follow Lacey’s Repertoire of elements including Technical codes, iconography, setting, and
narrative events as listed above.
By Georgia McLaughlin