Missy Elliott is BACK! She has just proved how amazing she is. It's been 15 years since she last released a studio album, She has proven that there's still a spot for her in the music industry with where this song has already placed in the iTunes charts. She will be getting international chart numbers soon, and cementing herself back into the rap genre, but she's never truly left.
Missy Elliott, real name Melissa Elliott, has been working on production work since her last album, a much needed break. Yet this comeback is stylish, perfect and on point, I'm like wow, you go girl! Pharrell Williams is a nice addition to the song, although his appearance doesn't impress me in the slightest.
Directed by Dave Meyers with a surprising come back video, something definitely to get people talking... But lets start off with the marionette puppets, Pharrell Williams clearly was not available for the day and yet they have made it work so good, it has totally got people talking about the music video and not only that it is done so well that you can tell a lot of effort and time has gone into the marionette puppets alone to get them just right, and it works. However, stars that were able to make the video included Les Twins and Sharaya J.
Choreography in the video is also on point, can't have it any other way, and Missy Elliott take centre stage, I just can't believe she's 44 and moving like that, she looks classy, edgy and full of sass, which is exactly what we like to see.
I love this video, although I'm ashamed at them having to resort to marionette puppets because Pharrell Williams wasn't in the video. However, stylish, out there, and definitely a video to remember, with a catchy song to boot. Missy Elliott is finally back, and hitting those chart numbers all over again, I am expecting a number one on the cards soon.
After reviewing "Tom's Diner" how could I not review her biggest hit? Especially since it's rare for me to write reviews of old music videos, usually opting for songs that are in the charts now. A music video that subtly relates to the song, filled with simple emotion and understanding.
Suzanne Vega never really did well in the UK, apart from the DNA remix of "Tom's Diner". Otherwise she charted badly considering the year her songs were charting. Nowadays it's an achievement to get those chart numbers. Her biggest hit in the UK was a re-release of her debut single "Marlene on the Wall". She is still releasing music as of today, and her latest album even charted in the UK's top 40. "Luka" was written by Suzanne Vega and is about a boy that used to live across the street from her who always was just different compared to the other children who were playing. In the song the child is abused by a family member, in real life, she believes, Luka was just a normal average kid, only acted differently.
Directed by Michael Patterson and Candice Reckinge, who opted for a blue and white toned video which fails to intensify the video whatsoever.
The actor who plays Luka in the music video is Jason Cerbone. The scenes involve him shutting doors, walking up stairs and being out on the street.
Like I said before, the song speaks for itself, Suzanne Vega's narrative lyrics come across so well, we don't even need a video to interpret the song, however they have done a good job and subtly included the child abuse. The song is so catchy it's stuck in my head, and I am not shocked it charted so well in other countries.
As we all patiently await Giorgio Moroder's music video to his updated version of this song, that features vocals from Britney Spears, I thought I might take a look back at the old music video. Giorgio Moroder's version has been stuck in my head for the past few days, "Tom's Diner" has been released as a single on iTunes, and a lyric video has been uploaded onto YouTube, but whether there will be an actual music video is something we're going to have to wait for.
Originally sung and released by Suzanne Vega who did an a capella version, it was later remixed by DNA in 1990. Rather than take DNA to court for copyright infringement, since DNA used the track without permission, her record label decided to release it as a collaborative effort. Suzanne Vega's version didn't get a music video as it wasn't released as an official single, she had a hit previously with "Luka". DNA did consist of Neal Slateford and Nick Batt, they remixed quite a few songs, however this song became their biggest hit. Just falling short of the number one spot in the UK. Written by Suzanne Vega, it is about grabbing a coffee in Tom's Diner, it's narrative lyrics are full of visual imagery. The DNA remix also contained writers Steve Addabbo and Lenny Kaye.
The music video is very typical of 90's music videos, it's definitely old school.
Certain images link in with the song, but only a few, the rest are totally random. It looks totally low budget even for a 90's music video.
The choreography is tight, and great to watch, it just proves how dancing changes in all the years. However the two dancers nail the moves consistently and in time with one another.
There's not much else I can comment on. Not something I'd go out of my way to watch again, and it fails to promote the song. I have also included Suzanne Vega's original a capella video version below, along with the amazing version by Giorgio Moroder and Britney Spears. We definitely need a music video from the latter!
The first time I saw this, I just knew I had to put this on my blog. Amazing, powerful and vocally authentic, JoJo stuns us all with a vocal like no other and an emotionally deep music video we can easily relate to. One third of her tringle, "Say Love" follows "When Love Hurts" and will be preceded by her third and final single from her tringle "Save My Soul".
JoJo is back, with perfect vocal talent. Her tringle has got us all excited for her new album. Real name Joanna Levesque, will finally get a third album release. How dare a record label refuse this brilliant vocal artist from releasing music. With a new label behind her, we are getting these songs. We heard snippets of perfection in her two mixtapes and her EP, yet this tringle has got us all captivated in JoJo once again. "Say Love" was written by Harmony Samuels, Wayne Hector and Chloe Angelides.
Creating a bit of classic JoJo, with the house and the rain. "Too Little Too Late" ring any bells? I loved that song and video so much I even reviewed it twice, by accident obviously. "Too Little Too Late" was definitely the inspiration at the start of this video.
Directed by Patrick "Embryo" Tapu, who also directed "When Love Hurts". Two very different videos. The guy in this video is Sam Kumrine, he plays her love interest.
This one deals with love, how she wants him to tell her things to make her feel special. I know exactly what that is like. Usually the start of any relationship guys tell you you're perfect, that you're beautiful, but they can never keep it up, unless it's real.
Scenically beautiful, powerful and emotional. JoJo shines with her acting experience proving that a ballad is never boring and useless, if you put all your effort into the video, it will come across visually amazing. JoJo is definitely on form lately, and I cannot wait to see the final video. "Save My Soul" has to be just as amazing. Hurry up and release your album JoJo, I'm dying to hear it!
This sailed straight into number one in the UK three weeks ago and it's solidly staying put. Adele has promoted this song so much it's unsurprising it impacted the charts this way, managing to be number one in 26 countries so far, with an amazing vocal what do we expect? Adele performs beautifully with an understanding narrative. Adele is truly back!
Adele, real name Adele Adkins, had writing block when it came to this song, however she managed to come back and complete it. She has one of those voices that would sound good singing anything, it has been trained to perfection. The song was co-written with Greg Kurstin. Surprisingly the song isn't about a relationship, although that is what many may interpret it as, but instead is about how everyone is getting older and moving on with their lives, and she wanted to sing a song they will hear, and understand. Vocally amazing, I can't help but fall in love with this song even though I am not at all an Adele fan.
The video was directed by Xavier Dolan, which is based off his semi-autobiographical film J'ai Tué Ma Mère (I Killed My Mother). It was filmed at a farm in Québec and features actor Tristian Wilds (most known for playing Dixon Wilson in 90210, I knew it was him as soon as I saw him).
The start launches into Adele phoning someone and not getting through, having no signal. She pulls curtains down and dusty covers. She has clearly come back to revisit the house of her past.
I love the cuts that intersperse of Tristian Wilds, showing us the past and of the relationship she once had. We all daydream of our past relationships don't we? And how they all went wrong.
Instead of a black & white filter, we have a sepia filter instead, this is mildly better, but still a no-no, it adds very little depth into this video, but I can see why it is used.
Overall not a video I would enjoy watching again, however it looks like it's going to stay atop of the charts so the video is probably playing constantly on music channels, so I'll probably come across it once again. I can't say much bad about this video, other than it is unsurprising and expected. Nothing new, nothing great and nothing to make me go wow. But with a vocally amazing song like this, the video doesn't have to be any of those things.
