MØ- Glass: Music Video Analysis

The music video for 'Glass' by MØ is a combination of both performance and narrative, conforming to many pre- existing conventions of the Indie Pop genre.

Genre Characteristics:

Throughout the video many familiar Indie Pop characteristics are noticeable. For example the shaky hand held shots and the fact that video is dominated mostly by slow motion footage which is used by many similar artist such as London Grammar and AlunaGeorge- allowing viewers to notice minute details which they may have overlooked if shots were at ordinary speeds and also creating slightly more powerful and dramatic imagery. The focus on the artist in this video is also a commonly used convention, not only within Indie Pop, but throughout many genres. There were very few scenes where the vocalist doesn't feature and for the majority of the video she was the only person framed in the shots, making it impossible for viewers not to be drawn to her. The combination of both performance and narrative is the most regularly used style of video within the Indie Pop genre, using moving image alongside a narrative which illustrates the lyrics. 

Relationship between lyrics and visuals:

The song's lyrics, especially the chorus revolve around the notion of getting older, clinging on to youth and the feeling of nostalgia for your younger years.  Andrew Goodwin's Music Video Theory can be applied to this footage as the lyrics are illustrated through the visuals. The imagery corresponds with this concept of 'eternal youth' as she is pictured in an arcade drinking beer, running in the snow, using a hoola hoop, on a skateboard and swinging on a tire. These are all typically things which aren't considered normal behaviour from an 'adult', encouraging the artist to appear 'carefree' and 'full of life.' 

Karen Ørsted is also captured later on in the video using the vacuum hoover to play with her hair which illustrates some defiance against 'adult' domestic duties and her yearning to remain immature and young. This same idea could be paralleled at 1:57 with the shot of the young boy in the supermarket. He is dressed in dark clothing with gothic, skeletal makeup which could be representing him as an eccentric youth- rebelling against the norms of society and remaining somewhat 'free'. However he may also be the concept of 'age/ death' as he resembles the grim reaper to some extent. This would also correspond with the song- the idea of 'everyone growing old' and that 'time' is inescapable and constantly effecting us all, such as the elderly couple shopping in the supermarket.

The repeated lyric 'wanna be free' is also shown through the use of 'amplification' as the shot of a bird spreading it's wings and flying is repeated various times. Wide angle shots of the sea, like at 3:13, also evoke this same sense of 'freedom' which is prominent in both the visuals and lyrics. 

Relationship between music and visuals:

Both the music and visuals coincide as the video is edited at various points to suit the speed and beat of the music (this occurs at the beginning of the video at 0:27- 0:33 and also nearing the end at 3:17- 3:19). This works effectively as it adds emphasis to both the imagery and the audio and creates connections between them, ensuring that they don't appear disjointed. Slow motion footage also helps to create this when the music becomes slower paced and quieter, such as the scene at 2:37. 

Are their close ups of the artist and star image motifs?

The majority of the footage is dominated by the female vocalist and close ups are repeatedly used to ensure that she remains the focal point of attention. The video begins with a shot of her from behind in a  rather eccentric jacket which immediately makes the viewer interested in her. In many of the shots she is the only thing we are drawn to as she is positioned in rather mundane scenes, for example standing in a plain room with a lampshade or sat on an armchair with a hoover. It's also noticeable that in most of the shots she is the only person and therefore our attention can't be detracted from her.

Is there reference to the notion of looking?

For the majority of the video the artist maintains eye contact with the camera which draws in the viewers own eye. Some scenes within the video concentrate our attention on certain things as the background remains in darkness while the artist is well lit or, visa versa, the background is illuminated while she remains in less light. This disparity is effective as we are guided to gaze at the vocalist as she constantly stands out in these shots. 

In accordance with the other music videos I have analysed, Karen isn't sexualized within the video at all and remains modestly dressed throughout. The camera doesn't linger on her body and we get the impression that the video isn't simply aiming to please a heterosexual male but rather appeal to both genders. This allows her music and 'artistry' to take command of the video rather than her appearance.

Are there intertextual references?

The most prominent reference communicated throughout the video is the importance of being young and feeling wanderlust. Similar artists to MØ share comparable themes to those used in the 'Glass' music video, such as London Grammar's 'Wasting My Young Years' and Daughter's 'Youth'. This fixation with remaining youthful and delaying the future- but also wanting to grow older in order to escape provincial society is shown through the rather picturesque, quaint fishing village contrasting with the behaviour of Karen Ørsted. This concept may be popular with various similar artists as the target audience they are aiming to attract will find the lyrics relatable. 

Is the video performance, narrative or concept based? How much of each?

Both narrative and performance aspects are involved in the video, however it mostly features performance with the girl lip syncing. In terms of performance, lip syncing governs most of the video as a result of the genre- whereby a synth is one of the most prominent instruments used. The use of the synth doesn't contribute to the performance element of the video as it wouldn't be of great interest to viewers. This lack of instrumental performance is something we will perhaps emulate in our own video, focusing instead on the main vocalist lip syncing. Despite performance taking command of most of the footage, the narrative is still easily recognised and runs alongside the lip syncing effectively. 

What has been learnt?

Having analysed the music video for 'Glass' I have made various observations concerning the style of music videos within the Indie Pop/ Synth genre. I noted certain conventions which seemed to reoccur within many music videos- such as shaky hand held camera footage and also slow motion action. Despite the fact that our video will focus on gliding, exploratory camerawork as oppose to unsteady imagery- there are still elements of this video which can influence our own. I particularly think that slow motion action will be effective for our video as it will allow us to explore the architecture of the building and also contributes to more striking visuals. In order to recreate this we will have to ensure that our footage is filmed in a steady manner, this could be aided by other equipment such as a glide cam or a shoulder rig. The slow motion action which we are hoping to feature will be considered during post production.

I am also now more aware of the importance between lyrics and visuals and also the music and the imagery- as they both become more effective when they coincide. In order to emulate this to some degree we will have to be constantly aware of whether or not the actions of our models correspond with the song.