Sia’s “The Greatest” Music Video

Sia is a musician who has truly grown into an artist. Over the past few years, she has kept her physical appearance hidden, using numerous costumes to conceal her face.  In many of her more recent music videos, she has captured the entity of her inner-self through dancer Maddie Ziegler.

Sia’s collection of videos with Ziegler are incredibly powerful and often an enigma in their set up. Some of Sia’s videos have even been considered inappropriate, with Ziegler dancing in mature scenes at the age of twelve with 30-year-old actor Shia Lebeouf.

Maddie Ziegler dancing in “Elastic Heart” with actor Shia Lebeouf.

In “The Greatest” music video, the viewer is reintroduced to Ziegler wearing a black wig, unique from the blond wig she wears in previous Sia videos. This change in color may suggest the age progression of the Sia entity, or the death of the entity in the video.

The message in this video is powerful. It showcases 49 dancers performing in what appears to depict an aftermath setting of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando.

Dancers are covered in soot, Ziegler wears rainbow-paint-covered cheeks, disco balls spin, and bullet holes serve as the subtle reminders of yet another horrific tragedy of human death created by violence and the intolerance of another community.

The choreography of “The Greatest” is mesmerizing. It establishes an expressive style of dance that combines possessed spirit entangled in a pantomime’s movements. It is what makes the video the greatest, in its ability to convey a message solely through expressive dance. Sia has resurrected not only the spirit of the music video, but the significance of the many lives lost to hatred and violence found in our world today.

Photo Credit for Sia’s music video images:

Stills from Sia’s “The Greatest”: “The Greatest” directed by Sia and Daniel Askill, featuring Maddie Ziegler, and choreographed by Ryan Heffington.

Still from “Chandelier”: ” Chandelier” directed by Sia and Daniel Askill, featuring Maddie Ziegler, Allison Holker.

Still from “Elastic Heart”: ” Elastic Heart” directed by Sia and Daniel Askill, featuring Maddie Ziegler and Shia Lebeouf.

Still from “Big Girls Cry”: “Big Girls Cry” directed by Sia and Daniel Askill, featuring Maddie Ziegler, and choreographed by Ryan Heffington.

 

2016 MTV VMA Nominations

MTV has released their contenders for this year’s best video music videos. There is one artist I am ecstatic to see up for music video of the year- Beyoncé. Her music video “Formation”, featured in her full length “Lemonade” film, has been nominated for video of the year.

 “Lemonade” (the film) is an important narrative on Beyoncé’s personal struggles, interwoven with reoccurring current issues found within American news media. Beyoncé addresses topics from police brutality to inequality and injustice within communities of color.

MTV has selected “Formation” as the contender to videos from big names such as Drake, Kanye, and Adele. “Drake’s “Hotline Bling” became a video sensation, after showcasing Drake’s awkward dance moves set to a unique backsplash of dancers and geometric visuals.

 “Hotline Bling” deserves recognition, but in terms of a video that establishes a clear message, Beyoncé’s work seems to outshine her competitors when it comes to substance.

Of course Adele’s “Hello” has over a billion hits on YouTube, so there’s that.

XAmbassadors “Renegades” Music Video

Blog is back! After reviewing some really terrible artsy-attempt by Justin Bieber in his latest video, I was thrilled to watch XAmbassadors‘ “Renegades” video.

The band created a really simple, empowering video which focuses on individuals living their lives in strong and resilient positions.

These people also happen to be mobility impaired or visually impaired. The video shows how people who are unable to see have just as much will power and drive as any person with the ability to see.

People with visual or mobility impairments skateboard, bench-press, fight, mountain climb, strength train and dream just as hard as the next person to be successful.

Casey Harris, the keyboardist in the group, has been legally blind since birth and showcases his musical talent with the band.

This video leaves an impression on you; it motivates you to be positive, to push yourself and give props to those who strive to live their life to the fullest, regardless of what life put on their plate.

Watch the XAmbassador’s “Renegades” video here:

Hip Hop Horror Honeys: Why they Are Really Scary to See in Music Videos

They go by models, honeys or vixens. The ladies we see in the hip hop videos are typically dressed in skimpy clothing. They are often used to create hype. But there is a new spin on the hip hop honey–the hip hop horror honey.

The trend seems to have started in 2012, with Frank Ocean’s “Pyramids” music video. Keep in mind his role in Horrorcore with Tyler the Creator.

The video focuses on Ocean being surrounded by female dancers spinning around him on poles. 

Initially their face are atypical. Then they morph into demonic, twisted faces. Faces similar to the ones found  in 2010’s Black Swan.

Shortly after “Pyramids”, director Ryan Hope showcased Wiz Khalifia’s “Remember You”; a video engulfed in scenes of a sleazy Hollywood party gone creepy.

The women in these videos almost appear soulless, floating from room to room. Their pupils dilate into white or black. They are placed next to dolls or in sexually suggestive situations.

There is a scene in Khalifa’s “Remember You” where one of the models is running frantically away from camera. It appears the model is being attacked by the camera or whomever is following her.

More recently Juicy J has promoted a similar vixen. In “Smoke A N****” he raps with half-naked women twirling in black paint rocking the morphing faces. (This video is circulating on MTV).

This type of model blatantly objectifies women, but creates an even more confusing dimension to the role that these models play in music videos. 

They do seem to signify the black hole of excess that one faces as a celebrity or musician.

Although it is an effective tactic to pull in the viewer, it should also be cautioned that these type of  videos hurt the role women in visual hip hop.

Videos/Stills Credit: Frank Ocean’s “Pyramids”,  credit to Frank Ocean, The Island Def Jam Group, Wiz Khalifa featuring The Weeknd “Remember you”, credit to Wiz Khalifa, The Weeknd, Ryan Hope, Atlantic Records.

The Beyoncé Video Collection: “Partition” Dazzles

“Partition” is arguably Beyoncé’s most sexual video off of her visual self-titled album.

She struts up to a luxury car in cut-out black lingerie and red pumps waiting for her cue in the rain. The car later turns out to have a half-hidden Jay-Z  feeling all up on Beyoncé in the backseat.

This video shows where Kanye West’s “Bound 2” went wrong.

“Bound 2” tries to work off of simulating the actual act of Kimye’s bedroom affairs (on a stationary motorcycle), whereas Beyoncé  plays off of her movement and talent as an artist, creating the illusion to what might happen before she and Jigga get down.

Beyoncé dazzles in costume, dance, and color. She pounces off of furniture and shakes around plush Tarzan-like bars,poles, and cheetah print. The viewer wants to watch the show and see what she will do next. 

Pros: A Mise en Scène explosion of color and movement.

Cons: We’ve seen all this before. But more importantly the music/entertainment industry is still using women’s bodies for sexual imagery. Where is Jay-Z in this video? Why isn’t he dancing for Beyoncé? Although this is a major con, the viewer still gets a sense that Beyoncé is the ringleader of the show. 

Watch it here:

Credit for Beyoncé’s “Partition” still frames and music video: Beyoncé, Director Jake Nava, Columbia Records,A Division of Sony Music Entertainment.

Credit for still frame of Kanye West’s Bound2 and music video: Kanye West, Director Nick Knight, Def Jam Recordings, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.

The Beyoncé Video Collection: Woah. “Drunk in Love”

Over the next few weeks, I will feature a weekly video critique from Beyoncé’s self-titled album. I intended on mainly critiquing “Drunk in Love”. Then I realized B has got multiple music video gems simultaneously poppin’. Cut to:

“Drunk in Love”–lyrically and visually this video has taken a lot of heat. Maybe because it oozes racy hot sex. It is a video that fits its simplistic message. And it works. The black and white ocean scene sets the backdrop for a steamy, scantily-clad Beyoncé shaking it .

Most videos today run on sexually explicit material anyway. The difference is most of them are stale.  There aren’t a million back up dancers or stripper poles in this. Not a lot of prop. Just the basics. That is what sets it apart.

 The whole point of this song is to convey a real night of hot passion. One that probably really goes down between Jay and B. Or at least we think it does.

All video credit, stills and rights to: Vevo, Hype Williams, , Jay-Z,Columbia Records, a Division of Sony Music Entertainment

Kanye’s Bound2 Music Video is a Snooze

Here’s one video I can say I absolutely hate. Kanye’s Bound2 is laughable in its entirety. Unfortunately in writing about it I’m promoting Kimye. There’s nothing artistic about it. It’s glorified egotism. P.S. If that’s how they get down I’m snoring.

Music Video credit to: Nick Knight, Kanye, Kim Kardashian,YouTube

 

Music Video Review: Kings of Leon “Supersoaker”

The videos coming out lately are not that impressive. I’m not going to ponder the deeper meaning of Miley Cyrus’ latest skanky wrecking ball video. Or Eminem’s “Bezerek”. Still chewing on that one.  One video that helped hold me over: Kings of Leon’s “Supersoaker”.There isn’t a strong plot. It’s basically pretty girls being used as prop. Cliche. Cliche. Cliche. But the Instagram-style color contrast is fun for the eyes and the video is very true to Kings of Leon. The soulful sound against the backdrop of vibrant pinup posters and models is fitting for the tune.

There’s no real story to the video but I’d rather watch this than the video for the pornographic-sledge hammer-choreography-technique-that-has-already-been-executed-successfully-by-Madonna. Suggestions for new music video reviews are greatly appreciated!

Video Credit: VEVO and Music video by Kings Of Leon performing Supersoaker. (C) 2013 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment.

MTV Video Music Awards: Nominees 2013

It is the most well-known video music award show going. The MTV Video Music Awards will premiere on Sunday August 25th at 9PM and yes you can still vote. I picked a few of my faves.

1. Artist to Watch: The Weeknd “Wicked Games”This video is so simple but there’s something about it that makes you keep watching. There are cuts between The Weeknd and a model in a trench coat with a Mickey Mouse bun-type hairdo shaking it. It’s gritty without being ridiculous.

2. Best Male Video: Kendrick Lamar’s “Swimming Pools (Drank)”I absolutely love the visuals of this video. Lamar tells the story of his grandfather’s alcohol addiction and the people that push Lamar to party hard.The quick angles,cuts, and crisp color contrasts leave you with an empty, eerie feeling that can’t be compared to anything else out there right now.

3. Best Female Video:I take it back. Too many terrible messages from this video. Most entertaining maybe.

4. Best Message with a Social Message: Maklemore and Ryan Lewis featuring Mary Lambert “Same Love

It holds a message that is important and current. And you don’t see too much of the artists all up in the camera (which makes for a nice narrative that get the actual message across).

5. Video of the Year:Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharell Williams

I’m not all about misogyny but I like this video. “Blurred Lines” is quirky and yes it is another video flaunting scantily-clad models but they threw in some props. And it has roughly 130 million hits on YouTube. But If I had my way Kendrick Lamar would be in the nominee list for Video of the Year.  Happy voting!

Vote for your favorite video out of my choices from my VMA post:

Miley Cyrus “We Can’t Stop” Music Video-Please Get Out Of My Head. Please.

The consensus seems to be that Miley Cyrus looks really creepy in her new music video. But the song is catchy. Almost to the point where it would qualify for legitimate torture. “We Can’t Stop” is light at times with Cyrus swirling around in a pool and dancing with her “friends” at a house party.

Then there’s the whole cutting the ankle monitor bracelet off her leg. Or her singing about “Dancing with molly(Ecstasy)” and letting us know that “Everybody’s waiting in line for the bathroom/waiting for a line in the bathroom.”

She shows off her gold grill, someone cuts off their fingers and some funky-looking goo oozes out of them. Random people are laying around being sketchy, eating lots of bread while Cyrus hooks up with a thugged-out doll. All that’s pretty weird.  When Cyrus walks off in her giant fur coat and stares down the camera–that must be the look all child starlets have right before they crash into a drug-binged downward spiral.

Don’t get me wrong I like the whole roasting marshmallows off of a candelabra, the breakfast-filled piñata,  and her crazy Moon Boot-type sneakers.  But the PETA is going to be pissed. What’s up with all the Taxidermy art? And there’s a whole ton of promotion in this video for those darn tweens (between the french fries and the EOS lip balms). This video is all about partying young. The message here is do whatever you want as a teenager even if it means you end up as FABULOUS as Amanda Bynes post-career.

Viewers are loving and hating this one. You can watch it here on VEVO:

All photo and video credit to VEVO, RCA Records, Mike Wilmer