It's time for my Thursday Revisit, and since Fergie has a brand new album out called "Double Dutchess", I thought I might as well revisit her debut solo music video; why not? I'm actually surprised I haven't reviewed this yet, so I am excited. Quite the surprising debut solo track, Fergie was riding the waves of The Black Eyed Peas, and the song is still iconic today! Watch Fergie in her debut solo music video where she struts around and dances provocatively whilst showcasing annoying paparazzi.
Fergie, full name Fergie Duhamel and previously Stacy Ferguson, has had an amazing career since her solo debut release. This song is still one of my jams and was extremely hot back in the day. It was released in 2006 and is probably another song, alongside "Glamorous" that my friend doesn't know - check out my review of "You Already Know" for the full story. I still love this song when my iTunes randomizer - which I have come to call it - chooses this song to play. So catchy, so much so it hit number one in Brazil, New Zealand, and the US. The song was written by Stacy Ferguson, Jamal Jones, Sean Garrett, and Mike Hartnett.
Directed by Marc Webb, the music video also features Fergie's bandmates from The Black Eyed Peas; yes, that's right, will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo all appear in the visual. It's quite the ode to London, although the visual does have many shots of Tower Bridge, which people constantly mistake for London Bridge - to be fair, Tower Bridge is much more appealing than London Bridge.
The opening scene sees a note from Fergie, inviting us to explore London with her. The note says: "2 days off from tour. Meet me in London. Fergie." It's great to see that her signature has followed through all these years and she still writes her name the same way.
There are various scenes that follow, including her being on a speedboat on The River Thames. She nails some killer choreography with her backing dancers and totally brings the sex appeal to the Queen's Guards, although she so would not be allowed to do that.
The spotlight is on her and she brings it. Even nowadays, she still knows how to bring it, so I'd love to see her live; the Double Dutchess World Tour would be something I wouldn't want to miss. She could so bring it on stage, and this song is still epic today.
She arrives at the Belgrade Gentleman's Club where she's flagged by paparazzi, totally giving a good impression of what they can be like, and what they have been like to stars in the past. There are plenty of representations of the paparazzi in music and their videos, this is just another one to add to the collection. It becomes an exact translation of the lyrics here, which we totally love.
The rest of the music video is just full of more scenes of Fergie bringing it. It's no wonder this song did well across the globe, not only is it incredibly catchy and still a jam today; but the visual is addicting completely. Fergie sure knows how to bring it! Although, if you're going to sing a song called "London Bridge", at least include the actual London Bridge in one scene, surely that's not too much to ask.
A few days ago, The Nightingale Club - which is my favourite club to go to in Birmingham - announced their event dedicated to Little Mix. They've recently started playing more Little Mix songs amongst their sets - old and new; so this didn't really come as a surprise. During one of my nights out, my friend and I came up with a salute dance move to this song - I'm sure we all have one - and we cannot wait to do it again whilst clubbing at this event, on 5th August. The song is one of my favourites, and has killer choreography throughout! Watch Little Mix "Salute" to this amazing song representing all the women in this empowering music video.
Little Mix are a British girl group consisting of Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and Jade Thirlwall. They are still the only group to ever win The X Factor; which they did back in 2011 on the eighth series. They continue to up their game with every single release and album release. Their most-recent album finally got the girls their first number one on the UK Albums Chart. This single was the last one released from their second studio album of the same name. They didn't release many from this album, compared to the others; even though they have killer tracks written by Nicola Roberts on their albums - why oh why did they not release these ones as single? This song managed to chart at number six on the UK singles chart. The song samples Xzibit's "Paparazzi". It was written by Thomas Barnes, Peter Kelleher, Ben Kohn, Maegan Cottone, Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and Jade Thirlwall.
Directed by Colin Tilley - another in-demand music video director - this visual is commanding, dark and completely fierce in every way.
As mentioned, the key part of this music video is the dance choreography. The girls bring it like no other girl group can, that I have seen. Fully nailing every step and seriously getting into it in every way.
There are some profile scenes on each of the girls; these really work to emphasise independence even when they are seen in a group. This allows the viewers to latch on to one of the girls, someone who they can identify with slightly and follow throughout the visual.
Overall, this music video should've had a slight narrative, and it looks like there could've been one in the making but it may have been stripped away. Regardless, this is fierce and on point. The girls give it their all and it really does pay off.
Out of all the options for my Thursday Revisit; of course, I was going to choose RuPaul's debut single which definitely inspired many people and charted in the US, the UK, and Canada. This song is totally iconic because so many of the phrases that we hear RuPaul say on his TV show "RuPaul's Drag Race" are ones he says in this song. The song was released in 1992 and had pretty good success. Personally, I always identify the 90's as a decade with influential drag queens. From what I remember, there was many of them on TV, making a name for themselves. Nowadays, it's not so easy to find drag queens on mainstream TV shows. They clearly left an impression on me, as I remember asking my Mom all about them. RuPaul has totally been an influential person for the LGBT+ community and this drag queen will go down in history. Watch RuPaul play a little black girl and become supermodel of the world, based on his own young life within the gay community and the culture he grew up with in this music video for "Supermodel (You Better Work)".
RuPaul, real name RuPaul Charles, has definitely come straight back into the limelight with his very popular American TV show RuPaul's Drag Race, which has seen him crown a number of drag queens as America's Next Drag Superstar. Yet, this is the song that really started RuPaul's music career - which has certainly been lengthy. It's inspiringly catchy and definitely was a surprising hit for the era that it was released. It managed to chart at number 39 on the UK Singles Chart and number 45 on the US Billboard Hot 100; as well as number two on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs Chart, and number four on the Canadian RPM Dance/Urban Singles Chart. The song was written by RuPaul, Jimmy Harry, and Larry Tee.
The music video was directed by Randy Barbato, and it continues to prove how current RuPaul is. The visual has a performance piece based within a narrative and is completely flawless. This concept and the way they have managed to pull it off is certainly ahead of its time. Was this really filmed in 1993? Throughout the video, actress LaWanda Page talks; she has several lines in the song, but does not appear in the music video; although she does appear in RuPaul's following videos.
During the narrative, we watch a little black girl get spotted by an "Ebony Fashion Fair" talent scout who then grows up to become the supermodel of the world. This is all announced by LaWanda Page as RuPaul looks at old photos. The video continues to show RuPaul as the supermodel of the world, prancing down the road like it's a runway.
She continues to do model things, like photo shoots and signing magazines with her face on. She uses the song to teach others that they have to work. As the video progresses, we see that this life is getting too much for her - and we all know how that feels. Stressed and overworked, RuPaul cracks under pressure; but. at the end, she laughs it off as if it was all a bit of fun.
It's totally not surprising that MTV loved this video, we all love this video. Clearly, the music channels played a key part in creating a hit song; and, to be fair, they still play a major part in the charts, especially considering people like Shawn Mendes with "Stitches" launched up the UK chart with his song, after the music channels played it often (as well as radio, obviously). This is complete in every way; and, to be fair, if it were released in today, it'll get a similar rating, because it's strong, it's effective, and it's relatable to the song in every way.
Today, I have been catching up with Vocea României Junior (because Inna is a coach), and one contestant stood out completely; Voicu Dumitraș sang this song "Hurt" by Christina Aguilera and it took my breath away. Only a few people can sing and nail that song, and he's now one of them! The original is the best version, as per usual, but I think it's one of Christina Aguilera's more underrated songs, especially considering it's chart placement in some countries, like number 11 in the UK, like seriously? Watch Christina Aguilera's circus-themed music video to "Hurt" where she grieves over the death of her father, who she had seen just that day, yet fame took her away from talking to him.
Christina Aguilera is one of the biggest female singers in the world, but just like many others, she hasn't been hitting the chart numbers globally, like she used to. Although that doesn't mean she can't make a comeback, many others have done so and knocked it out for the park. This song is filled with such emotion and hits every note; it really is a hard song to cover, and I don't think anyone could do it any more justice than Christina Aguilera. Just a shame that it didn't chart so well globally, it only hit number 19 on the US Billboard Charts. The song was written by Christina Aguilera, Linda Perry, and Mark Ronson. It was inspired by Linda Perry's loss of her father.
Directed by Christina Aguilera and Floria Sigismondi. It is set in a circus, and is very different to Britney Spears' "Circus", so don't get them confused. This one is more of a period setting, with a black and white filter for the beginning to establish that. We also hear Linda Perry's voice at the start as the audience are introduced to the circus.
In colour, we see Christina Aguilera get given a telegram; on it, it says "We respect to inform you of the death of your father on the day of 02/09/1947", we then watch a flashback of the time she spent at the circus with her dad as a child, and we see where she got the inspiration to become a circus performer.
Throughout, we watch how her day went, where she saw her father in the audience and even touched his hand at the end of the show where she was being interviewed. We see a few memories, and we see her fall to the ground in front of the circus tent, fully grieving.
This is a passionate song and a brilliant coinciding music video. Christina Aguilera really shows that she's not just an amazing singer, but she's a great actress too. She fully proves herself in this, and she deserves a lot more credit for what she does. I hope that new music is on the way and I hope she releases a global hit that gets everyone talking about her again.
With Ed Sheeran totally dominating the UK Singles Chart, with three songs in the top ten at the moment, of which, "Shape of You", is still chilling at the top; ZAYN and Taylor Swift will be my Chart Mondays review today, instead. To me, this is an unlikely pairing, and yet the collaboration is total fire from start to finish. ZAYN and Taylor Swift's voices work totally well together and I sure hope this isn't the last song they collaborate on. This song was done for the Fifty Shades Darker soundtrack, although the music video isn't an obvious soundtrack video. Watch ZAYN and Taylor Swift perform this very sultry song in a hotel during this music video for "I Don't Wanna Live Forever".
ZAYN, full name Zayn Malik, is mostly known for being one-fifth of boy group One Direction before he left the band to focus on a solo career in music. He wanted to release music authentic to him, and he's definitely done that. His "PillowTalk" is still one of the most incredible debut singles that people are still talking about and covering today. As for Taylor Swift, she's brought country music to the world, and then made giant leaps into pop music, ones we totally forgive her for because they're amazing songs. She has a new album coming out sometime in the future, and I cannot wait for it to drop. This collaborative effort has had global success, as we expected. It was written by Taylor Swift, Sam Dew, and Jack Antonoff.
Directed by Grant Singer, the music video sees ZAYN step out of a car in the rain and enter a hotel, this is where he starts to sing and where the rest of the music video takes place.
The start of the video shows the problem stars face in their everyday lives. Paparazzi. These people have always been a problem for celebrities, and there are a lot of songs that cover this from Britney to Lady Gaga. Many stars have hit out at how annoyingly ruthless paparazzi are, and there have been several hundreds of music videos showing this. Now it's time for ZAYN to hit back at them.
Performing in their separate hotel rooms, Taylor Swift and ZAYN deliberate on their relationship, getting angry and smashing things up, while also having subtle lost moments. It really shows how powerful each of these stars are. They're meant to perform, they're meant to sing, and here they are doing just that. It's a great music video but it's just missing the wow factor.
If there's one song on the radio that keeps capturing my attention, it's this one. It's full of so much positive energy, enough to make me love the song, that I'm glad to hear something so loving and positive being played often. Robbie Williams has always been someone I haven't been keen on, and then being a student in Stoke-on-Trent - his hometown - had me disliking him more as they blasted out his songs in clubs. I just can't dance to any of his songs, no thank you! Anyhow, this one is a grower of a song, and I'm not the only one turning to liking the song. As for the video, it's another one that throws shade to paparazzi. Robbie Williams walks on the beach and on the road surrounded by girls with cameras shooting his every look, mood, and move, in this video for "Love My Life".
Robbie Williams is one of the biggest UK male artists in the country. He has several number ones under his belt and is constantly popping up on TV. He was originally a part of boy band Take That, before pursuing a solo career. He has made his name with so many songs, that it's a surprise he never made it big in the US. He is totally a household name, and his success is unbelievable, but considering how catchy most of his hits are, it isn't all that surprising. This is his new song, it was previously sung on The X Factor a few weeks ago, but it didn't chart so well. However, with extended radio play and the catchiness of the song, it has been climbing. The song was written by Robert Williams, Fiona Davies, and Johnny McDaid.
There isn't a lot going on in the music video, and there certainly isn't much to it. People have suggested that the budget was blown on his previous music video, "Party Like A Russian", and so it's not a surprise that this one has a low budget.
It was filmed at Leysdown Beach on the Isle of Sheppey. It's quite dreary and wet which exactly explains the British weather.
There's various girls surrounding him as he walks along the beach and the road. The camera switches from one girl to another. At times the footage is blocked by another girl, filming. At other times, Robbie Williams isn't singing whatsoever, which suggests they haven't got good footage of that particular lyric.
As a whole, it feels like a total low-budget music video, one that college students would make. I have actually seen better college student music videos. This is slow and boring, and Robbie Williams doesn't look like he is loving his own life, especially at that moment. He's slightly rigid performing this song, maybe he's freezing on Leysdown Beach; it does look cold. Either way, he should still look like he's having a great time.
As for the girls, they imply what his life is like. Everyone has a camera nowadays. He can't go anywhere without being snapped. It's been his life since he was young, yet he is loving it nonetheless. It may have tainted him in the past, but, now as a much older man, he has learned from his mistakes and he loves where he is now. Such a positive song that I'm glad it's getting the recognition it deserves. I just wish there was a much better music video.
YouTube suggested this music video on the home page, so why not include Lindsay Lohan into my blog? She is working on new music material, according to an announcement which she made, but since she doesn't want to clash with her younger sister Ali Lohan, she can't confirm whether a third album will materialise. It was supposed to be released back in 2008, when most recent single "Bossy" was released, but work on that album ceased. Starting from scratch, we might see Lindsay Lohan make a great return to the music industry, or it might just not work out yet again. The paparazzi are once again at blame in this video, as Lindsay Lohan fights back against the media in this music video for debut single Rumours.
Lindsay Lohan is mostly known for her acting roles rather than her music. However her music career isn't as bad as you might think and it is certainly nothing to be snubbed about. She's hit charts around the world, including the UK with single "Over". Most recently, she collaborated with Duran Duran on "Danceophobia" for their 2015 album Paper Gods. Whether her comeback to music will make an impact, is something we may never find out about, but as long as she releases the music she wants, all will be fine. She currently owes her record label one more album, which is why she is recording new music. This song was her debut single and was written by Cory Rooney, Lindsay Lohan, Taryll Jackson and TJ Jackson. It feels like two Britney Spears songs combined together: "My Prerogative" and "Piece of Me".
As for the music video, it was directed by Jake Nava, and must definitely have been the inspiration for Miley Cyrus' "Fly On The Wall" and "Can't Be Tamed" as many scenes and features look and feel too similar.
It relates to the song as it revolves around the media's attention of Lindsay Lohan at the time. This has been done plenty of times, and it proves how much paparazzi was a problem back then for these stars, and to this day it still is a massive problem that isn't really dealt with, and I don't think it will be, which means singers will keep releasing these types of singles and music videos for years to come.
Lindsay Lohan looks completely stylish, as she avoids paparazzi in this video. She also gets with a very gorgeous guy, who happens to be her on-screen boyfriend. At the end there is photos of them kissing on a camera which she later drops out of the helicopter.
There's many different scenes, including Lindsay Lohan being trapped in a bird cage, I wonder who copied this later for their music video... Miley Cyrus' "Can't Be Tamed" anyone?
The dance scene has great choreography that is performed to perfection, Lindsay Lohan proves she's more than just an actress and she really can perform.
Overall, this music video deserves to be watched, it's more than what everyone first expected and it's not surprising since back then she was an amazing actress. Nowadays people are rating her badly because of her problems, yet I will forever support her like I did as a child. I hope Lindsay Lohan makes an astonishing comeback to the music industry, because I shall be backing her corner every step of the way.
Back to when J Lo was on top! Jenny From The Block is definitely her signature song. Another song and music video that hits back at the paparazzi and how they can change a star, especially since celebrities can't do normal things because photographers are following them everywhere. Many artists have done songs and videos in reference to this, so I'm not surprised that J Lo has done one too. Jennifer Lopez gives us an insight into her life, showing she has no privacy. No matter what she'll always be Jenny From The Block.
Jennifer Lopez was at the height of her career at this point, hitting track after hit track. She still hasn't released a Greatest Hits album, although she definitely needs one as there are many amazing singles in her collection. Although this song only got to number three, here in the UK, it's still recognised as one of her biggest singles, purely because no one else can cover the song unless they themselves are also called Jenny. The song samples many other songs which are "Heaven And Hell Is On Earth" by 20th Century Steel Band, "South Bronx" by Boogie Down Production as well as "Hi-Jack" by Jose Fernando Arbex Miro, this caused controversy because The Beatnuts also used "Hi-Jack" on their song "Watch Out Now" and they believe their sample of "Hi-Jack" was used. They received royalties for this song. This is why there is a lot of song writers, who are: Jennifer Lopez, Troy Oliver, Mr. Deyo, Samuel Barnes, Jean Claude Olivier, Jose Fernando Arbex Miro, Lawrence Parker, Scott Sterling, Michael Oliver, David Styles and Jason Phillips. The latter two are the rappers who are featured on the track, they are mostly known from the band The LOX.
The video was directed by Francis Lawrence. It has Ben Affleck as the love interest, who was Jennifer Lopez's fiancé at the time. They were known by media as Bennifer, and they broke off their engagement citing the media interest as the main reason.
This entire video shows that they didn't have any privacy in their relationship, no matter what they did, the media knew what they were doing. This has been the case with lots of stars and they hit out through music and the videos, just look at Britney Spears' "Piece of Me", "Everytime" and "I Wanna Go".
The performance side to the video, works perfectly, Jennifer Lopez definitely knows how to perform, which goes without saying, she would be amazing to see live.
Overall an impactful music video that covers something that will always be an issue. It accompanies the song well, but it doesn't stand out, we've seen J Lo with much better videos. A signature song, with a signature scene and a common theme, that we've seen a lot of already.
I was going to review the only other JoJo single to chart here in the UK, only "Anything" never got an official music video, and so, by elimination, there was just two more music videos to choose from. This song takes JoJo to the R&B roots we're used to, and it proves how much she has changed. Her Tringle she released, which includes "When Love Hurts", "Save My Soul" and "Say Love", are much more modern. However Not That Kinda Girl was released when R&B was hitting the charts hard. The video relates to the song perfectly. Edgy and full of depth, JoJo announces she's not the usual type of singer, and she won't be controlled either.
JoJo, real name Joanna Levesque, has just made a return to music with a short snapshot of her new album. The Tringle is amazing, and I cannot wait for the other videos. It's good to see her back, after such an awful dispute with her label, where she ended up suing them. Finally she got out of the contract and signed a new one with a new record label and can now release new music. This song was written by Neely Dinkins, B. Cola Pietro, Balewa Muhammad and Sylvester Jordan, Jr. Catchy and full of R&B vibes, her voice is deep and soulful.
It was directed by Fat Cats, who consist of Eric Williams and Randy Marshall. It also features cameos from Laurie Ann Gibson, Vincent Herbert, Da Internz, Tool and Maynard James Keenan.
It's almost as if JoJo is being two different people, this star singer who is photographed, who is dancing on stage, who has bodyguards everywhere. And then this normal girl getting on a bus, with her album advertised on the side of it. She's proving that she is a normal down to Earth girl, and that she will not become what they want her to be.
Her dancing is in sync, and I hope that in a future music video she has full choreography like this one. I know "When Love Hurts" has choreography, but it's mainly vogue and finger tutting, and I really would like to see something much bigger.
Overall, perfect video to match a perfect song. I have no problem with this video at all, and now the song is stuck in my head.
Grab your passport and my hand, I can make the straight guys gay for a weekend. This is the sentence I have to nail every time I hear this song. The video resembles a mix of Avril Lavigne's "Let It Go" and P!nk's "Please Don't Leave Me". Quirky and narratively fun, something I don't mind watching again and again, and Taylor Swift is looking damn sexy, even when she's crying.
Taylor Swift, country singer turned international pop star, was lining the way for country here in the UK, yet she's dropped all ties to her first few albums, no more "Love Story" or "Mean" or "Teardrops On My Guitar", yet she still manages to make powerful emotional songs that you can't help but love. Written by Taylor Swift, Max Martin and Shellback, it's no surprise that this is a hit, just look at those songwriters' backgrounds. Taylor Swift takes a dig at the media with the song... Pretty sure Britney Spears have done that a few times "Piece of Me" and "I Wanna Go" amongst others. Blank Space only charted at number four in the UK, as no official single was released. This is what annoys me the most as a swiftie (Taylor Swift Fan), at least give us a UK single release too, could've scored a number one with this song.
Linking in well with the song, the video, directed by Joseph Kahn, contains both narrative and performance. In her performance side she's sexy, entertaining, emotional and full of passion. She really proves her acting skills in both parts of the video and you can't help but be drawn in.
The male lead is Sean O'Pry, who is a model. I really believe Taylor Swift could've found someone better. He looks good, not going to lie, but he fails to be as captivating as Taylor Swift is, and it brings the video down, just slightly.
I like how they go from being a couple, to Taylor Swift becoming a maniac and an obsessive freak, it suggests that that is what the media is portraying her as, only she's heightened it a lot more and put her own spin on it. A perfect video, one that everyone is watiching again and again, hence the YouTube views.
Miley Cyrus, real name Destiny Cyrus, is called Avis Cyrus in this music video for no reason I can think of. Maybe it's another alter ego? Or is she playing a part? Is this not who she is, or a whole different side to her that wanted to come out and play? This is the song and music video that hit major controversy for Miley Cyrus, leaving her 6-12 year old fan base to try and get credibility between her own age which is young adults. Now she is 20 years old (same age as me) and has short hair, and is working on a fourth album. Could this be her most daring album yet? She has left her old good-girl image behind her, much like Britney Spears did with "I'm A Slave For You" and Christina Aguilera did with "Dirrty". So this new album could take any form she wants.
"Can't Be Tamed" was written by Miley Cyrus, Antonina Armato, Tim James, Paul Neumann and Marek Pompetzki. The song can be taken and be seen in various different lights, I always saw it in a relationship side and how she doesn't want anyone to turn her into someone she isn't. However it can also be seen as a school situation and trying to be oneself instead of being involved in a clique. The song hit the UK chart at number 13 making it her fourth highest charting position behind the joint firsts of: "See You Again", "The Climb" and "Party In The U.S.A.". Will Miley Cyrus ever get a UK Top 10 hit? Or will she constantly be getting number 11?
The music video is held in a museum and it starts off with the cage keeper announcing: 'a creature so rare it was believed to be extinct. In captivity for the first time, the rarest creature on Earth, Avis Cyrus'. Miley Cyrus is in the cage and when someone takes a photo she protects herself with those awesome wings.
The music video continues with her and her backing dancers taking over the museum and causing a bit of a havoc.
There is a lot of choreography, which is performed well and shows that she can dance (although we already know that from various previous music videos). The setting is extremely interesting, teaching younger audiences that it is cool to go to a museum and learn about extinction.
The ending proves that everything will end up in rubble. Again, I believe this also manages to hit out at the paparazzi, with the camera at the start, and the song could also be linked to them, she doesn't want to be a good-girl, she wants to be who she is, and would rather the paparazzi leave her alone.
A lot of people have referenced this to Britney Spears, the paparazzi angles can be found in "Hold It Against Me", "If U Seek Amy", "Everytime", "I Wanna Go" and "Piece Of Me". Miley has even done her own music video that hits at the paparazzi which was "Fly On The Wall". Is there never going to be an end to music videos hitting out at the media? On the other hand, some of them are the best videos I have ever seen.
Overall a song that has been stuck in my head, and should've also hit the Top 10 of the UK chart, and a music video that is perfect in every way. I do think they should've used the wings more as they were only in a few scenes for a few seconds. The video portrays the song exactly the way we want it to and also manages to show off her dance ability.
Ashlee Simpson becomes my Sunday Revisit, purely because I've been stuck for choice, and I distinctly remember watching this music video on the music channels. She has a famous sister Jessica Simpson, who is also a singer/actress. Ashlee Simpson is finally gearing up to releasing a fourth album, but is she past her peak of her career, or is it time to get back on track and become a hit once again?
"Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya)" was written by Ashlee Simpson, King Logan, Jerome Harmon, Santi White and Kenna. It marks Ashlee Simpson's lowest charting position in the UK, to date, managing to get to number 24. "Pieces Of Me" got to number four, "La La" number 11, and the recently reviewed "Boyfriend" got to number 12. The song is about having all these voices in your head, from the people who think they should advise you on what you need to do, and sometimes it's a bit too much. Always do what you want, regardless of what everyone else thinks, that's my advice.
This music video is over the top of wackiness. There's so much going on, so much that you find it hard to keep up with, that it explains the song and connects with it perfectly.
There is a lot of references included, so much so that it reminds me of Britney Spears' "I Wanna Go". There's a reference to Salvador Dalí's 'The Persistence Of Memory' with the melting clock, she is also seen with dark hair on top of a 'Rubik's Cube'. She also gets tied up by tiny people, which is a reference to 'Gulliver's Travels'. And once again the constant attack of the paparazzi, which has been featured in so many videos that I'm tired of mentioning it. One person even has a camera as a head. One of the co-writer's Kenna features as a reporter in the video.
This is clearly identifiable as an Ashlee Simpson video, even if she wasn't in the video, it's noticeable as her due to the quirkiness of it all. That still reminds me of the other videos I have reviewed "Boyfriend" and "L.O.V.E." that I question whether we'll find something different from this artist, or will she stick to this niche that is clearly her... Guess we'll find out when she starts releasing singles and videos for her new album.
Overall, a catchy song that has a messed-up quality to it that you can't help but admire, it feels like so many people talking to you at once, and that is exactly what the song is about. The video follows the song perfectly, going over the top and adding the perfect messed-up side with mental institutes and paparazzi and a robotic Ashlee Simpson.
Miley Cyrus, real name Destiny Cyrus, has appeared on my blog quite a few times. This time my iTunes decided to get it stuck in my head, and it sure managed to do that. This song is probably one of my favourite songs from Miley Cyrus, and I'm interested in what she has in store for us in the future, clearly it's going to be big, but can she get higher up the UK Chart?
"Fly On The Wall" was written by Miley Cyrus, Antonina Armato, Tim James and Devrim Karaoglu. Many different interpretations of the song has been made, from sympathy to the boyfriend, to the boyfriend wanting to know everything. Miley Cyrus soon enough cleared it all up, saying it was about the paparazzi... And the music video empathises that perfectly.
This music video shocked me over and over again, from the start to near to the end, and then the completely surprising ending. This video really reflects what it is like to be followed by the paparazzi. Britney Spears has been portraying her concerns for ages now in the videos for "Everytime", "Piece Of Me", "If U Seek Amy", "Hold It Against Me" and "I Wanna Go", I'm sure there's probably more. Other music videos include: Stone Sour's "Through Glass", Kelly Clarkson's "Mr. Know It All" and Cher Lloyd's "Swagger Jagger".
And although this song came out it hasn't stopped anything, and it's only getting worse, only a few months ago, Miley Cyrus posted a video of her walking her dogs while one of the paparazzi parked in a handicapped place and ran in front of her taking pictures (video can be found on the right).
Once again we have a narrative and a performance piece. First off we think her boyfriend is going to turn into a werewolf with the full moon being out and stuff. Instead he turns into one of the paparazzi. She then ends up in the car park and is being chased everywhere she goes.
The best bit has to be when the paparazzi start to dance, I can't help but laugh as I'll always remember the first time I saw this and I really wasn't expecting it, and it still manages to draw me into that surprise every time. And then we get the more shocking ending, where her boyfriend sells her story about the paparazzi. That's just wrong on so many levels.
There's a bit of a performance side in the car park, which she lets lose and has a little bit of fun. I reckon she really enjoyed filming this music video, and in doing so, it's just as fun to watch.
Overall a great song that only managed to get to number 16 on the UK chart, it clearly deserves a higher position. The music video is pure brilliance, and definitely one of my favourites. It has a close theme to Michael Jackson's "Thriller". So you can all guess what my rating is going to be...
Britney, Britney, Britney. What else can I add to this blog post, that I haven't added in previous posts? I just feel like I'm going to keep on repeating myself. So let's start with what's new... She is a judge/mentor on The X Factor US, which I have been watching, and I'm definitely rooting for Britney's Teens, however the UK is one episode behind the US, so please don't spoil what happens for me. She has been through a lot in her life, and I really like how this video shows the stages of her life.
"Hold It Against Me" was written by Max Martin, Lukasz Gottwald (Dr. Luke), Bonnie McKee and Mattieu Jomphe (Billboard). The song was almost given to Katy Perry, but they decided it wasn't a "Katy Perry song". It's extremely catchy and very different to what we expect from these amazing song-writers. The single was pushed forward as demand was high for it, even in the UK. However it peaked at number six on the UK chart. It deserved higher. Will Britney ever get a new number one? She hasn't got there since "Everytime" was released back in 2004 (almost 10 years ago now). It shows she's not quite fully back just yet, but I bet we'll see her top the charts once again in the next few years.
This music video doesn't link in with the song,. however it does show Britney is back. It shows her life and how she has battled through it, and she isn't going to give up.
I like the progression that this video gives. We see her as a strong, on-her-game sort of person that represents the late 1990's, where she was on top. Then things start to go wrong, showing her meltdown. I like the use of Britney fighting herself, representing her fighting her inner demons, trying to hang in there. She collapses, every Britney falls to the floor. Showing her breakdown. But she gets back up again showing she is back and ready to get back on top again. The question mark at the end means the future is what you make it, and that there is a future for Britney.
I like how we see all her past music videos as well. And it's extremely brave to show her breakdown. It proves that she realises it's a part of her past, and although she isn't proud of it, she has to accept it to move forward, and that is exactly what she is doing. Again we see a couple of references, one of Madonna's music video "Bedtime Story", a reference to The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and there is also a reference to the paparazzi who just won't leave her alone.
Overall a very catchy song that should've charted higher. The music video doesn't link in that well with the song, however there is product placement, from Sony TVs, "Make Up For Ever" and "PlentyofFish", the latter adding into the meaning of the song, so it is there. Now what should my rating be? Since this video is superb and the only thing I can find wrong with it is not linking with the song all that well, I have no choice but to give it the rating it clearly deserves.
Britney Spears once again appears on my blog. She is a worldwide star and has recently been confirmed as an X Factor USA judge. I was kind of hoping she'd be signed for the UK, but guess not. Will she be a good judge? I'm not sure, but guess we'll find out soon enough. This song brought a lot of attention upon herself, with many people not happy with the song lyrics.
The song was written by Max Martin, Shellback, Savan Kotecha and Alexander Kronlund. Once again they have created a great hit. This song wasn't going to be released as a single, Britney decided to ask Facebook followers what should be her next single, and they chose this one. It worked out well as it charted high in some countries, but in others it didn't fair out so well. In the UK it got to number 20, which is quite low for Britney. Although it has been 8 years since she has had a number one hit.
This music video is quite shocking, I love how it's a reference to the song's meaning. For those of you who don't know there are two meanings, one is: "all of the boys and all of the girls are begging to if u seek Amy" suggesting they want you to find Amy, and the other one is "all of the boys and all of the girls are begging to F-U-C-K me", this explains the start of the music video perfectly.
The second half makes Britney look like a traditional mom, with a family and a normal life, with the paparazzi unaware of what is going on behind close doors. This is yet another paparazzi Vs. Britney music videos, which are frequently popping up with "Piece of Me" and "I Wanna Go".
There is quite a few references to past music videos in this video, these include the start for "Piece of Me" and at the end where her "daughter" is dressed in the school wear found in "...Baby One More Time".
Overall I love this song, and the music video is quite surprising, but are we getting bored of these paparazzi vs. Britney story lines for music videos? I'm not sure I could cope with another one, but guess we'll eventually find out. Also, a little more trivia... Amy is possibly Britney's alter-ego, hence why their trying to find her. But also when Britney went "off the rails" so did the now late Amy Winehouse, could the Amy in the song reference her instead?
So today my randomiser chose SpeedATW and he has chosen this music video, which I was so happy about, since this is probably one of my favourite music videos.
Stone Sour is a rock band that consists of Corey Taylor (also lead singer of Slipknot), Jim Root, Josh Rand, Shawn Economaki and Roy Mayorga. They have been going for a number of years, and tend to go on hiatus when Slipknot starts releasing and vice versa. Therefore I'd be unsurprised if the other members of the band do different things during the hiatus times.
"Through Glass" was written by Corey Taylor. This got to number 98 when the song was released here in the UK, but I bet it would have done a lot better. And I guarantee it would be great for the charts if it was released nowadays, or some sort of cover got released. Most people know the song now, and people would've expected it to have got high on the chart, but that wasn't the case. The song is about music cornering the world. Corey wrote this song in a hotel room while watching a music channel, and he was surprised that the artists weren't aware of what they were singing, and that they were just there to be famous. It kind of made him mad, as it makes it harder for bands and people who make their own music.
The music video should go down in history as one of the best music videos ever made. It's really interesting and funny and clever at the same time, it relates to the song perfectly and it just shows that a lot of things in life aren't really real. But the main thing they focus on is that the people there, if you look between the lines, it's not them. Which works with the song as the singles that are released by some artists aren't their lyrics.
This is an extremely clever video and I don't even know where to start with it. It's both performance and narrative. I like the start there's a party going on and everyone is there. There is even a paparazzi who is taking photos, to capture the moment. But when Corey Taylor looks between the lines people are just cardboard, they aren't real, even the pool isn't real and none of the layout either.
I like how they've included look-a-likes of people and made references to others. There's a Paris Hilton look-a-like who's just cardboard. There's some rap people, a rich singer, a few others. And there is Chris Daughtry, who is the guy picking up the cardboard. I like how some of the comments on YouTube state that Chris Daughtry is the only guy in the world capable of picking up a swimming pool. For those unaware, Chris Daughtry is of American Idol fame.
Even the place where the band is, isn't real. And I also like the fact that instead of Hollywood, it's actually Hollowood (implicating Hollow Wood, which is cardboard). There is a lot to like about this music video, and I don't see anything wrong with it. Maybe the fact that some of the stars that are referenced in this may not agree with what is going on, but that is about it.
Overall, a great music video that I haven't got anything bad to say about. The song is very catchy and I am surprised it never got higher than 98 on the UK chart. Let's hope someone covers it on the X Factor or The Voice, it might make people download it.
Britney Spears has been around for ages, she has released a number of hits, but unfortunately she has yet to gain a number one album here in the UK. However she has had a number of singles that have topped the chart, but "Everytime" was her last number one in the UK back in 2004, and it doesn't look like she will get to the top spot again. Her last two singles "I Wanna Go" and "Criminal" didn't even make the chart, so is Britney falling so fast that there will not be any pieces left to build her back up? Or will she get to the top spot with her next single and manage to release that parachute?
This song was written by Britney Spears and Annette Stamatelatos. This is probably one of the reasons why this managed to get to number one because it is so personal to Britney and she was the one who wrote it, which is different to her new releases because she doesn't sing it with the passion it clearly deserves. This single is amazing and the music video fits in perfectly. Apparently the song is a reaction to Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me A River", Britney and her younger sister Jamie Lynn Spears, were shocked at the music video for "Cry Me A River" as it showed a side of Britney that she didn't want revealed. So this is more of a comeback, and it works perfectly.
The music video is amazing, I've watched it a number of times and realised it's probably the most emotional music video that was ever made for Britney. There's a lot to like about it, and it gives us a bit of an insight about her, that we wouldn't normally have. Personally, a good music video is sometimes what influences a single to get to the top spot, which explains why this is her most recent number one single to date.
The music video shows her concepts of fame and the behind the scenes reflection on how she really feels. I think it's quite clever how she gets mad at her boyfriend for being angry at the photographer, but really she is angry at the amount of paparazzi that just wants the perfect shot to expose her. It shows a perfect struggle, in which she doesn't want to let her guard down, not even for a minute, because if she does it could be the end of her, or that what she thought back then.
The music video also suggests that she can't put up with it all, and in a moment of hesitation she ends up attempting suicide, this is basically letting the paparazzi win, they've got her right where they want her, and in a world without Britney would music now be the same? I like how we see her running back, as if she wants to be alive and not dead, and then she comes awake with a smile. That smile could be for anything, it could show she isn't going to let her stardom fail her, that she's going to live life to the full. But it could also reference a threat, that this is how easy she can disappear from us all, so back off or else. It's quite inspirational and shows how gutsy she can be.
Overall I like this music video, but it's simple and slow and not much going on. It can be read so many different ways that complaints had been pushed through here and there, but there were people who liked it and didn't want to complaints to prevent the showing of the video. I like it because it shows Britney as herself, we get to see parts of her that the paparazzi has no chance of getting, and I think that is the great bit about it.
She is about to perform on the X Factor this Sunday, and I really hope it will help her get this song to number one, it's one of those songs that are very powerful and should get to the top spot. Kelly Clarkson won the first ever series of American Idol. Ten years on and she's still making amazing music, and although she is still classed as an American Idol winner, she would very much like to push that label aside. She has already proven to be one of the best international winners, and will probably be a success for a very long time, so expect to see more from her. I'm kind of wondering if a greatest hits may be in the works? Or maybe it's something that will be available in a few years time, but I definitely think she's qualified for one, as she has had a number of great hits, and this song definitely will be another.
This song was written by Brian Seals, Ester Dean, Brett James and Dante Jones. And it's a break-up song. Kelly's vocal is amazing and she has totally pushed the boundaries on what you would expect from her, and I'm definitely interested in this song. The song is very different to her other releases, and that's always a good thing as it suggests that there is something differently intriguing about her, which is exactly what she wants. So that hopefully her album and singles will gain a lot more interest from others who aren't necessarily her fans, but I bet they will become one as soon as they hear this!
I really like the music video, first up, we have the wall with all the newspaper cuttings, I think this is a really good idea, as it suggests at how much Kelly finds this troubling, and most artists tend to sing about the paparazzi, when really it is also the journalists who are giving these celebrities a bad name. My only question is whether or not they are actual newspaper clippings or they are made up for the purposes of this video. I also like the shadow technique used with this wall of articles, it shows that she does have a backing band, but also that she and the director appreciates them, which is similar to Avril Lavigne, as her backing band appears every now and again.
I find it funny how there's this guy standing doing nothing, and Kelly is screaming the song lyrics at him, whether he is a dummy or not, I'm unsure, but I can imagine the take-outs of this, they must have been in giggles a lot of the time. I also like the fact that Kelly is watching over past videos, but if you watch closely you'll notice that during "I Do Not Hook Up" music video, she imagines how she would hook up with certain people, and she doesn't have the guts to do it. When she fall off the bar table, that is also a figment of her imagination, and doesn't actually happen, so why is she able to watch it? Or maybe this was some filming error?
Overall I really like this music video, and it's accompanying song, I think they link in perfectly, and although the video isn't one of the best, I'm glad it has a narrative storyline and it fits in perfectly with the song. I am looking forward to seeing her perform this, but it's already been a big hit in Australia and the US, let's hope it's as big here. I also like the ending in the video, it suggests a whole new route she plans to take, which is what I'm really looking forward for.
As you may be aware of (if you've read any of my other posts), I have known about Britney ever since she released her first single: "...Baby One More Time". And I have to admit, this music video is probably one of my favourite yet. She has had lots of critical responses and a lot of difficulty in her life, but it definitely looks like she's taking control of it, which is really great.
This marks Britney's third single from her fifth studio album: Femme Fatale. And is probably the best single to describe her whole album, although, the album is quite a mixture of everything, and together it is blissfully one of Britney's best albums. I think this song is probably my 2nd favourite song from the album, and I really hope that her next single will be "How I Roll", but if it isn't I don't mind much since I really like this song. As for charting, it is currently climbing up the top 200 in the UK chart, however it is officially released next week, so hopefully the single will make an impact (I'm hoping for No.1 since the last time she was there was with "Everytime" and that was in 2004). As for her albums, she has never ever had a No.1 album, which really surprised me when I found out, I just hope that in the near future she'll get a No.1 album.
This song was written by Max Martin, Shellback and Savan Kotcha (Max Martin and Shellback helped Avril Lavigne write her whole album, and they also helped with Britney's latest album so it shows how interesting their songs can be). This song again hits out at the paparazzi, although many have complained that she is attacking them again. But in my opinion, they're the ones attacking her, did anyone not see the video footage of them following her all over the news? If she is constantly followed how can she have a life? The paparazzi are to blame for many deaths from Princess Diana to Amy Winehouse (possibly, this is all what I think and I could be completely wrong). So if everyone decided never to read a newspaper or magazine ever again, if everyone decided to never tune into the news, either on the radio or on the TV, would people (famous or not so famous) still be alive today? I personally think so.
The music video is AMAZING! It is one of the best Britney videos for a long time, and I really like the funny side of things. I love how Britney is styled, people say she reminds them of Avril Lavigne, especially with her different coloured hair extentions, however she reminds me of when she was younger and just starting in the music industry, I really like her looking this way and you really wouldn't expect her to do the things she does in the music video, which is what they wanted the impact to be like. Also, I think she looks really well, compared to her music videos when she was a little off her head and not quite right, she looks well on track and it's really nice to see her this way.
I love the start, it is a similar take on the old film: Half Baked, and it's really funny when she says "you're cool", it makes me laugh every time. I also like the t-shirt she is wearing, which is a cropped t-shirt of Mickey Mouse, which relates to when she was in "The New Mickey Mouse Club" which I never watched. I cannot believe the journalists would ask those sort of questions either and to be honest what sort of questions are they actually asking? Who would ask anything so stupid? So she walks out wearing studded combat boots (that I didn't think Britney would ever actually wear, but I really like them), and signs her album and grabs the guys ass, I like how he is so happy that he jumps in the air, to be honest I think anyone would be happy.
I like how she blows a kiss to a baby who's whistling along to the track, and then the amazing bit when she flashes for the policeman, only the whole street sees, and I love the shocked faces, especially the ginger kid as if he's never seen anything like that in real life hahahahahahaha. The policeman, who looks like Britney's Ex-Husband Kevin Federline, then decides to search Britney up and down her legs while she's bent over a car, then we get a flash and we see Britney walking away spinning handcuffs on her finger, while the policeman is buttoning up his shirt (I wonder what they've been up to..... And surely not in the street! That kid would have a heart attack!)
She is then surrounded by paparazzi, which must relate to her everyday life, which is kind of surprising as there is quite a few of them snapping photos without her permission (and yes I know that if you are a celebrity you're bound to have the paparazzi following you and taking pictures, but still...). So she smashes one camera, which I think is good for her, and then she runs away and climbs up onto a yellow taxi. Which is a little dramatic but then again.... And she swings her mike around and hits the paparazzi, which is obviously done by using special effects on the computer, but it is done well, and I can't help but watch again and again. I really like the idea of the cinema behind, which is showing "Crossroads 2: Cross Harder" which is such a good idea, and represents Britney's first debut film, "Crossroads". I like how it is similar to "Die Hard 2: Die Harder" which has to be the best sequel name ever. But does this suggest what everyone is thinking? Will there be a sequel to Crossroads? I sure hope so, I loved that film and have probably watched it too many times by now, but will there be a sequel? If they do decide to, then it's not too late, it could mark the decade anniversary of her first film debut......
I like how there's a link with "Terminator 2: Judgement Day", with the paparazzi creeping back up showing that they are robots and are prepared to get every shot possible. This is a super nice twist and sort of explains the paparazzi to people, it shows they don't care about anyone and so will do their best in their interests and not anyone else's. Then guess who comes along.... It's Guillermo Díaz, who starred in "Half Baked". He drives alongside Britney and tells her to jump in, to help her escape the paparazzi, she is then dressed in a pink bikini top, and dances while standing up (if you look into the background you can tell that they are in front of a "blue/green screen". While Guillermo drives he decides to pour milk over his head. THIS I DO NOT UNDERSTAND! Why do such a thing? If someone could help me I'd be happy to know the answer. Anyway.... Britney is a little turned on that he does such a thing, and then sparks fly from his chest and she realises he is a robot too.
I like the ending particularly, you are taken back to the interview with the journalists screaming at her, and so she thinks she has been day-dreaming. Then Guillermo says "no more questions" and Britney tells him about her dream, and he pretends to be stupid, and then, in a link to Michael Jackson's "Thriller", as Britney is lead away, he turns around and his eyes glowers red, and he laughs hard....... It is a brilliant ending, to go with one of Britney's most iconic music videos.
Overall I cannot fault this music video, except for the milk bit which I do not understand at all. This music video will probably be remembered again and again, and I can definitely see the music channels using this loads more times in the future. I hope you all agree that my rating is fair, and this music video definitely does deserve it!
I've been aware of who Cher Lloyd is when she first auditioned for The X Factor. She blew the audience and the judges away with her rendition of "Turn My Swag On", which also split the people at home, some liked her, some hated her. She ended up coming 4th in the show, and now she's back with a new track, which again has split the audience, but with the amount of controversy about the song, she might actually nail the charts, weirder things have happened.
This is her first single from her forth-coming album due to be released on the 7th November 2011 (1 week before Rebecca Ferguson releases her new album. Rebecca came 2nd in the competition). I also went to The X Factor Live Tour in February, and everyone there did really good, their vocals were perfect (except for Wagner), and for this opinion I am going to do my best not to be biased, just because I've seen her live doesn't mean everyone should like her. Although she was good live.
This is a song that hits back at the haters, and the paparazzi. Yes, this is ANOTHER song that talks about the paparazzi, how many times has Britney done that? And I guarantee there will be more in the future. Cher sings about people should stop saying things about her, and leave her alone, she is doing what she wants, and she is loving the songs she's singing, so why should it matter to anyone else? But to be honest, she's the one who's putting herself in the media's eye, especially since she seems to have a new look every month, first she was normal Cher Lloyd on The X Factor; then she went Rihanna-ish, with red curled hair; then a bit Cheryl Cole-ish as she is in the music video; and now she's shaved some of her hair off as people saw at T4 on the Beach, people have said it's a bit Jedward-ish. I wonder who she will follow next month.......
The music video, looks a bit cheap to be honest, maybe they used the budget on Cher's jacket...... Anyway, there is a lot of computer changes that were made to this which may also be a reason why this video has got more than double the amount of dislikes than likes on YouTube. And even though she was obviously given some choreography, it doesn't stand out and it looks like she's just standing there doing a few dance moves. However, it's not all bad, you get to see some other people dance, doing some moves such as a back flip, and standing on their heads. The video has a good feel to it, and will probably interest children especially with the amount of bright colours that appears.
So is it as bad as Rebecca Black's "Friday"? Well I don't think it is, I think people are just saying that as a joke, but we'll see won't we, if it doesn't make the charts then it's definitely worse. Anyway, I think this whistle bits in the song reminds me of another song DJ Alligator's "Blow My Whistle B****", and there are various other songs that are similar to "Swagger Jagger", it basically just sounds like a mash-up of lots of different songs.
Overall I prefer the song over the music video, which kind of explains my rating, I hope Cher Lloyd's next single will be better than this one, well depending on how well this does in the chart. To be honest I think I've been as fair as I can be, and I really don't think I've been biased, I hope you agree with my rating.
