Technically not a music video, but there isn't much of a choice upon this new release music video review. Besides, this is such a lovely visual for the song that it deserves to be reviewed by me. I previously reviewed the original version of "Perfect" for my Chart Mondays' review as it has climbed to the top this week, so it's incredible to see Ed Sheeran fight to stay at the top spot by releasing another version, this time with the incredible Italian singer Andrea Bocelli, in the hope of getting the Christmas number one (which he did). I'm not going to lie, I disliked this version very much when I first heard it, but I am growing to like it, slowly. I definitely like the symphony within the backing track. Watch Ed Sheeran and Andrea Bocelli team up on an awesome rendition of this song, in the latter's house where the former marvels at everything around him in this music video for "Perfect Symphony".
Ed Sheeran is on top form this year! His album managed to be a huge success and every single song managed to chart in the UK top 20 - something no other artist has been able to do and no artist will be able to do since the rules have now been changed. He really is a dominant force in the music industry and the original of this song, titled just "Perfect" is most-likely the first dance at most wedding receptions. He already released a collaboration with Beyoncé titled "Perfect Duet", and then this one dropped with Andrea Bocelli. He is an Italian singer who has been blind since the age of 12, following a football accident. That hasn't stopped him at all, and he's gone on to have a stand-out career, one only singers can dream of. He's collaborated with top names and charted all over the world. He's best known for the song "Time To Say Goodbye" which was a collaboration with Sarah Brightman. This song was written by Ed Sheeran and Andrea Bocelli.
Directed by Tiziano Fioriti, this music video is almost a behind the scenes video of what happened when Ed Sheeran recorded "Perfect Symphony" with Andrea Bocelli. The camera captures some beautiful moments from the very start, even before the song kicks in. This is what makes the video that extra bit magical.
This little insight is so amazing to see. You can tell Ed Sheeran is awe-struck by the house and various things he notices. Then there are comical moments, like when he tries to learn the bits in Italian. But the truly interesting bits are the interactions and the moments they harmonise. It's so great to watch.
Although to take it all into consideration, it's a totally different viewpoint to the original "Perfect" video, and it's more of a making-of video than an actual music video since there's no narration and no performance side to this at all. It's interesting to watch and a great different take. We totally see Ed Sheeran's humble side and how incredible this is overall.
I watched this as research for the Cedric Gervais version that I reviewed which is a collaboration with Howard Jones, also titled "Things Can Only Get Better"; which totally remixes the song and makes it current and catchy. It may not have charted but this original version sure did being very current at its time since new wave music was certainly in. I never even knew Howard Jones was a singer, I recognise him from TV. Watch Howard Jones perform live on stage, showing off his energy as we watch character profiles in this music video for his hit song "Things Can Only Get Better".
Howard Jones is quite a recognisable face, and I think I've spotted him on a number of TV shows, although which ones, I'm not sure. Anyway, he had a very successful career back in the 80's with a number of hit songs, this one being one of them. I didn't realise he was a singer until I started research on that previous blog post which was a Cedric Gervais collaboration of this song. I doubt Howard Jones could make a comeback to the music industry, let alone the charts - unless more remixes are in store for future releases. This song hit number six on the UK Singles Chart and number five on the US Billboard Hot 100. It was written by Howard Jones.
This music video is quite interesting considering the year it was released. If we knock away the square film and the blurry images - because that certainly wouldn't be happening today - we have quite a good music video.
The pure performance visual really displays Howard Jones' stage presence, and it really reminds me of Laura Tesoro's recently released music video for "Beast", as we see both of their teams set up the stage. In this case, Howard Jones has started to sing his song already and we watch him go from the building of the stage to his dressing room, and then back onto the stage to perform to his fans. It's been well-timed and put together very neatly.
As for Howard Jones' performance, he has brilliant energy from start to finish. He's emotionally honest in the first few scenes building up his energy slowly so that he can unleash it on the crowd during the show. It may be an old video, but it still comes across perfectly.
There are a few character profile scenes of various people who then gets the spotlight during certain scenes at the show. It's cool, clever and well thought-out. I just would've liked a closer link to the song itself.
WOW! When two top Russian Eurovision representatives from different years, come together, magic happens! This is the result and it's absolutely incredible! I sure hope this isn't the one and only time Sergey Lazarev and Dima Bilan collaborate because we need more of this! One of them is from Eurovision 2008 which he won (he also previously competed in 2006 coming second), the other graced the stage in 2016, also coming second. Together they sure are a force to be reckoned with and this is beautiful and authentic. Watch Sergey Lazarev & Dima Bilan perform their collaboration song amongst a forest and on the beach before turning into animals at the end, in this music video for "Прости меня"
Sergey Lazarev is best known for representing Russia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2016, where he came third with the song "You Are The Only One"; during the votes, he came out on top in the public vote, but it was the jury vote where he didn't score enough points. Overall he scored 491 points under the new voting system. He has gone on to release more addicting music (including this song) and continues to prove he is one of the top male Russian artists in the industry. The same can be said of Dima Bilan, the collaborator on this track. He has also represented Russia at Eurovision, he competed at the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 and the Eurovision Song Contest 2008; he came second in the former with his song "Never Let You Go" where he got 248 points, and won it in the latter with his song "Believe" where he gained 272 points; all of which was under the old points system. This is why this is a brilliant and epic collaboration! Surprisingly, the song didn't chart well in Russia, or in any other country, so it will definitely go down as a global treasure, one we all love but not enough to get it to chart well. The song translates into English as "Forgive Me" and is about asking a lover to forgive. It was written by Roma Kenga.
Directed by Leonid Kolosovskiy, the music video is displayed in black and white for no reason other than to stop colourisation and perhaps give it a solid sad feel to the song - which works but doesn't mean I have to like it. It's purely a performance video, that allows each artist to send out the emotion of the song.
The guys bring it for the visual, Sergey Lazarev is there bringing the passion in a forest-like setting, whilst Dima Bilan gives us all sorts of chills as he sings on a beach. He even drops a pocket watch with an image of a woman on to the sand - talk about hitting us in the heart.
There are some scenes that see them together, walking down a path that later splits off. There is also a whole performance scene in a totally different location against a black screen - it adds more depth because they are totally performing, but it looks quite odd mixed up in the other scenes.
I do love the final part, where Dima Bilan rushes into the water - we're very happy about seeing a wet Dima Bilan, but he soon turns into a dolphin which is more cute than sexy. All the while, Sergey Lazarev turns into an eagle as he runs to the top of a high-point. It's clever and cool, with some great emotional realness throughout. However, there's so much that could've been included, we needed more depth and the black and white visual doesn't add anything either.
I'm totally on a Carla's Dreams fix at the moment with their addicting songs and interesting music videos. I wasn't sure I would like this as I heard a clip in a Global Records round-up of 2017, but it just stood out to me and as soon as I watched the video and the song in full, I fell in love with it completely. Carla's Dreams sure are making waves in the music industry, around the world. The anonymous group proves that you can have a great successful career as an anonymous group. Watch Carla's Dreams perform while contemporary dancers perform in a group translating the song into an incredible story for the song "Pana La Sange".
Carla's Dreams are a Moldovan anonymous group who have charted well in Romania and has collaborated with some of their best artists. Their music certainly has their stamp all over it and every single song is easily identifiable as Carla's Dreams; they seriously are bringing something new to the music industry in every way. This single was the lead single from their most recent album, titled "Antiexemplu"; and it sure has been popular. The song's title translates into English as "To The Blood". It was written by Carla's Dreams and Alexandru Cotoi.
Directed by Roman Burlaca, the music video has the main focus on the dance narrative, while Carla's Dreams performance is subtle and disinteresting - much like his previous performance pieces, allowing the dancers to fully show off their story.
The choreography is on point from start to finish. Working with water is never an easy task, but these dancers bring it in every way. Easily portraying a love/hate relationship, relating to the song perfectly.
What I don't like about the music video is the trance-like state it puts me in, and I don't mean it in a good way. The constant switching from a black background where the dancers are performing, to a stark-white background where Carla's Dreams is singing the song is off-putting and makes the audience blink too many times, in an attempt to keep up. It just doesn't work. However, putting that aside the awesome choreography makes up for everything.
It's Chart Mondays again for my back-dated review and it's the week that Ed Sheeran climbs up to the very top of the UK Chart with his addicting sweet song "Perfect". Since it is the UK number one, and still is three weeks later, I have to review the music video for Chart Mondays. It is quite a Christmas-themed video with his intention to have it as the Christmas number one, which he surely did that when he released "Perfect Duet" featuring Beyoncé as well as "Perfect Symphony" featuring Andrea Bocelli, combining all sales and streams - I expect this song to remain at the top for some time. Watch Ed Sheeran and Zoey Deutch go on holiday together to Austrian ski resort, Hintertux, where they spend some sweet time together in the snow, in this music video for "Perfect".
Ed Sheeran is a force to be reckoned with in the UK. His latest album sky-rocketed on charts all around the world, with all of the tracks charting inside the top 20 of the UK Singles Chart - an accomplishment that made the Official Chart Company change their rules so that such a thing could never ever happen again. This song, in particular, did well for itself, and is certainly one of those songs that many couples would choose as their first dance at their wedding receptions - it's just one of those songs, for sure. The one thing Ed Sheeran hadn't had, yet, was a Christmas number one, so the release of this song as an official single, with various versions released and this brilliant music video, certainly made the song stay at the top of the charts for the Christmas holiday season. The song was written by Ed Sheeran.
Directed by Jason Koenig, this music video stars actress Zoey Deutch as his love interest and was set in the Austrian ski resort, Hintertux. Ed Sheeran and Zoey Deutch really show off their acting skills as they display a loving relationship that's fun and full of sparks.
The completely narrative music video is beyond cute; it's actually adorable. They meet up in a restaurant after Ed Sheeran glances at an old photo on the train. We watch various scenes throughout; mostly, of them learning to ski before tackling the ski slopes.
There's a snowball fight scene and they create snow angels - I've still never done that. They later get pizza, treck through the forest and then eat the now-cold pizza in their log cabin. The box has a message from Ed Sheeran saying that he has a song for her, and that's when he sits her down and serenades her with this very sweet song.
There isn't a performance piece unless you count the serenading at the end. It's such a loveable music video that has lots of charming moments, but it doesn't bring anything new to the table and doesn't go anywhere. It's such an endearing visual that effortlessly relates to the song, but I just wanted something more.
