Ariana Grande, The Weeknd- Love me Harder
Within the music video, Grande is presented as vulnerable and delicate as the mise-en-scene illustrates this theory of solitude by showing the singer being alone and in the foetal position. The ancient objects spread through the room gives of a feeling of a particular period of time- that appears to be from the belief of limerence- the state of being infatuated with another. The low white balance of the camera gives off a cold atmosphere to make the artist seem lonely ad isolated, especially with the blue gel. Even though, present in the video is The Weeknd, his scene is very short and isn't as effective as Grande's as she is seen longer in the video and she has less clothing on suggesting that she is vulnerable and also complying with Mulvey's Male Gaze theory, whereas the male artist is not.
A Great Big World, Christina Aguilera- Say Something
Within the music video, men and women are represented as the same through heartbreak and devastation. Some people arguably note that the females seem to go through more distress as the women in the beginning seems to be more stressed compared to her partner that she can't sleep, the elderly women is dying and the little girl is hiding underneath her bed too scared to come out. Apart from the senior male and the singers, the other males don't seem to be bothered by their actions that made their loved ones angry or leave. In fact furthermore, the lighting in the music video also supports this, for example the male that is lying on the bed with the woman , he has a lot of light flooded on him giving the illusion that he's got nothing to hide whereas, the female has got a contrast of shadow making it appear that she's conflicted in in pain.
P!nk- Beautiful Trauma
Beautiful Trauma subverts the typical narrative of a weak woman needing a man to save her, in other words Propp's 'Damsel in Distress'. In the narrative the husband and wife swap genders which is unique and new to the genre. The song is about 'finding the romance in the flaws of your relationship'. In the narrative we see Pink's character pouring prescription pills down her throat, this is perceived as a coping mechanism to cope with her husband and tedium lifestyle. This just goes to show that she is unhappy and is trying to keep the relationship going.
Later on, her character comes across her husband in the closet dressing up in her clothes. This acts as a 're-awakening' in their relationship and Pink dresses in his clothes and they dance together in the bedroom. This is a signal for their new found establishment of their flaws and how they use their flaws to make their love better. The fact that the music video is set in the 1950s, it highlights the era where oppression of women were at its peak. However, near the end of the video, Ginger Hart (Pink's character) portrays a more dominant role when she and another female dress up in black latex and tie up her husband then taking part in S&M. This is not the traditional mannerism of 1950s woman, so Pink has broken out of that stereotype and went from being submissive to dominance, taking over the male role.
Beautiful Trauma subverts the typical narrative of a weak woman needing a man to save her, in other words Propp's 'Damsel in Distress'. In the narrative the husband and wife swap genders which is unique and new to the genre. The song is about 'finding the romance in the flaws of your relationship'. In the narrative we see Pink's character pouring prescription pills down her throat, this is perceived as a coping mechanism to cope with her husband and tedium lifestyle. This just goes to show that she is unhappy and is trying to keep the relationship going.
Later on, her character comes across her husband in the closet dressing up in her clothes. This acts as a 're-awakening' in their relationship and Pink dresses in his clothes and they dance together in the bedroom. This is a signal for their new found establishment of their flaws and how they use their flaws to make their love better. The fact that the music video is set in the 1950s, it highlights the era where oppression of women were at its peak. However, near the end of the video, Ginger Hart (Pink's character) portrays a more dominant role when she and another female dress up in black latex and tie up her husband then taking part in S&M. This is not the traditional mannerism of 1950s woman, so Pink has broken out of that stereotype and went from being submissive to dominance, taking over the male role.
