She's done it, Taylor Swift has finally got her first UK number one single. Now, I have to review one of the most incredible music videos I have ever seen - and I have been dreading it. There's so much going on in this visual, that no one can pick up every single detail, but I sure as hell going to try. This video is beyond epic and it's something I haven't been able to stop watching. It's full of shade and I totally love it in every way. I also liked the song from the minute I heard it, I just can't help but be a fan of Taylor Swift's, her music is incredible but this visual is off the radar, for sure. Watch Taylor Swift in her best music video to date, where she throws shade, hits back at comments made about her, and shows off her various personality traits of her past for new song "Look What You Made Me Do".
Taylor Swift is one of the biggest female artists in the world right now. She sent country music out to the world, but as time went on, she developed her sound and gone down a more pop route. She is gearing up to release a new album, titled "Reputation". This song is the lead single from the album and has certainly got me excited for the other tracks to be released. "Look What You Made Me Do" hits back at all the controversy she has received in the past few years, specifically her feuds with Katy Perry and The Kardashians. Not to mention, the way the media has heightened these arguments. The song contains an interpolation of Right Said Fred's song "I'm Too Sexy". It was written by Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff, Fred Fairbrass, Richard Fairbrass, Christopher Fairbrass, and Rob Manzoli.
Directed by Joseph Kahn, the music video is a pure performance piece which sees Taylor Swift deal out a whole lot of shade. There's so much for me to cover about this visual, I'm just going to have to start at the beginning.
We have a zombie Taylor Swift rising from a grave with the headstone that says: 'Here Lies Taylor Swift's Reputation'. It totally gives off a Michael Jackson "Thriller" vibe, that's for sure. She starts to shovel soil into a grave, with a headstone stating Nils Sjöberg, which is the pseudonym that she used when she co-wrote the Calvin Harris track "This Is What You Came For" which features Rihanna. In the grave is Taylor Swift herself from the Met Gala 2014; where she looks like a princess. The whole scene has an "Out Of The Woods" vibe to it, which is her last official solo music video, discounting "New Romantics" tour video.
Next up is the bath scene. Taylor Swift can be seen in a bath tub filled with various diamonds and jewellery that is definitely giving off a Britney Spears YM Magazine cover look. People have stated that it could be a response to the media who stated that she cries in a marble bathtub surrounded by pearls, whereas others believe it's a connection to Katy Perry's "This Is How We Do" or it's to do with Kim Kardashian's robbery in Paris where she was placed in a bathtub; the latter one coincides with the lyrics to some extent. Not only that but the dollar bill that Taylor Swift won in her recent court case against DJ David Mueller who sexually assaulted her, can be seen right next to her; and a locket can be seen on the floor which may signify the locket Calvin Harris gave her for their one-year anniversary, it spells the word 'no', but more on that later.
The mirrors in the bathroom open up to reveal a set of stairs with Taylor Swift wearing a gorgeous red dress, sitting on some sort of throne. The words 'Et Tu Brute' can be seen on the columns and the armrests of the chair. There is a bunch of snakes slithering all over this scene, and one even pours her tea (which has to be a reference to gossip - no tea no shade as many say in the drag world). The words are from Shakespeare's drama Julius Caesar, which means 'and you, Brutus?' in English, suggesting a betrayal. Whereas the snakes are a reference to both the hate Taylor Swift received online during the controversies and also people who can't be trusted.
Then we've got the incredible car crash scene. She's sporting quite the Katy Perry look with her hair and the cheetah-print coat. She flashes her Grammy award - she currently has ten, whereas Katy Perry has none. There is also a cheetah in the passenger seat, giving a lot of Katy Perry "Roar" vibes, and not forgetting the similarity to Daft Punk's "Starboy" featuring The Weekend video which has a panther in the passenger seat; very loose connection but they're both cats! The car resembles a Maserati - even though it's just a sports car - which references her song "Red"; the album was also nominated for a Grammy but didn't win. Not only that but the car is similar to the one in Katy Perry's "Waking Up In Vegas".
Birdcage scene is next. Now we've seen a lot of these in a lot of music videos, most notably Miley Cyrus' "Can't Be Tamed". She is dressed in orange and has a snake tattoo on her thigh, similar to the one Kendall Jenner dons for her V Magazine shoot; while she swings in the air. Kendall Jenner was initially known as one of Taylor Swift's friends, before the feud between Kim Kardashian (who is Kendall Jenner's sister). Then we see Taylor Swift sit down for a meal in the cage, continuing to suggest that she's been locked up in the past, done things that weren't her choice; as she picks up a lobster with a fork as a rat sniffs at the plate.
Now she's robbing a bank with her cat squad. The vault she's chosen is the 'stream.co' vault, which is highly suggestive of when she famously took all her music down from Spotify and had words with Apple about their three months free trial for Apple Music. She's brandishing a golden baseball bat that definitely gives off Beyoncé "Hold Up" vibes, even if director Joseph Kahn refutes that claim. There is also an engagement box in the background with no ring inside; apparently, Calvin Harris was shopping for engagement rings when he and Taylor Swift broke up... Remember the locket that spelt the word 'no' beside the bathtub, well there's the answer to the engagement question. She is also wearing a sweater that says 'Blind For Love' suggesting she falls for guys quickly - don't we all. Also, the fact that they're all wearing cat masks is either a dig at Katy Perry's Katycats - which are Katy Perry fans - or just that Taylor Swift is known to own cats who she loves very much.
Then it's the motorbike scene. Personally, Taylor Swift is giving me total Fergie vibes, for some reason; although this isn't the connection. Some think it's connected to Kim Kardashian's robbery as they ran off on motorcycles and it sure looks like they're stealing, plus when she picks up the bikes, money does fall. And, let's not forget Kanye West's "Bound 2" music video which features both him and Kim Kardashian on a motorbike.
It's time for the manufactured U Squad scene, that is so channelling the film I, Robot - that's for sure. It hits back at the people who have called out her Squad - her friends - because they're all beautiful stunning professionals. It definitely takes us back to the "Bad Blood" music video, which is also about the Katy Perry feud. If you're wondering what happened, it's all to do with their tour dancers who jumped onto Katy Perry's tour and left Taylor Swift's tour.
My favourite scene is next because it so reminds me of one of my favourite music videos from her - "Blank Space", also Todrick Hall stars in this clip! Taylor Swift walks in and eight guys, in heels, line up behind her, Todrick Hall has a clipboard as if he's writing down the list she previously mentioned in the lyrics, or maybe it's a list of guys she's dated. The guys fan out revealing their tops which say 'I ❤ TS' which is similar to the top Tom Hiddleston wore last summer during their much-photographed relationship. There are also eight men to signify the eight relationships she's had with other celebrities (who are Joe Alwyn, Tom Hiddleston, Calvin Harris, Harry Styles, Jake Gyllenhaal, John Mayer, Taylor Lautner, and Joe Jonas). She also dances in the clip, which is a total rarity in her music videos, but she pulls it off with style and class, nailing the choreography fiercely and perfectly.
Interspersed with this clip is a few seconds of Taylor Swift on the wing of a plane wearing a bloody outfit, using a chainsaw to chop off the wing. Now some say this correlates to Katy Perry's "Roar" video where there is a plane involved, others think it's a connection to Iggy Azalea's "Team" video because she spray paints the plane with the title of her album, which is similar to what Iggy Azalea does; who knows, maybe she doesn't want to fly around the world anymore.
I love the scene that's next, the pyramid of Taylors. Now, this is where we wish there was a behind-the-scenes video because this looks beyond epic. We see new Taylor Swift, standing at the top with the letter 'T' lit up behind her, as all the Taylor Swift's from the past try to crawl up to the top. There's some from previous music videos, others from red carpet events, others from award ceremonies. It's just complete chaos that is beyond amazing. New Taylor Swift then flings her arms out which shoves all the old Taylors away - goodbye!
The talking snippet is next, where she's on the phone saying 'I'm sorry, the old Taylor can't come to the phone right now... Why...? Oh... Cuz she's dead'. This reminds me so much of the "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" talking snippet.
The final scene has got everybody talking. 14 Taylor Swifts from the past and this music video are lined up in front of the plane that is missing a wing - and that Taylor is standing on, making it 15 Taylor Swifts in the aircraft hanger. They all take a bow of some sort, the "Shake It Off" Taylor Swift falls to the floor. They then all throw shade at one another. "You Belong With Me" Taylor says: 'You guys.' and is wearing a t-shirt with an updated list of her squad members. Zombie Taylor retorts: 'Stop making that surprise face. It's so annoying.' referencing when she kept on winning awards. "Shake It Off" Taylor even joins in saying: 'Yeah, you can't possibly be that surprised, all the time.' Snake Taylor hisses. Then, new Taylor Swift (from dance scene) says: 'What's with that bitch?' and Zombie Taylor says: 'Don't call me that.' suggestive of Kanye West's "Famous" song and video which is where the whole feud with him came from. Then fresh on the scene Country Taylor (that so reminds me of "Teardrops On My Guitar") says: 'Y'all', so Ringleader Taylor says: 'Oh, stop acting like you're so nice. You are so fake.' Then Country Taylor starts to cry, to which Biker Taylor says: 'There she goes, playing the victim, again.' - which is a constant criticism Taylor Swift has received in the past. The Met Gala 2014 Taylor sees Cheetah-Print Taylor snapping photos, she asks: 'What are you doing?' to which Cheetah-Print Taylor says: 'Getting receipts! Gonna edit this later.' both taking a dig at Katy Perry's "Swish Swish" song lyrics whilst implicating Kim Kardashian, as well, who released video footage of Kanye West and Taylor Swift talking about the "Famous" song, suggesting Kim Kardashian edited the clips. Lastly, the 2009 VMAs Taylor - who was rudely interrupted during her acceptance speech for an award, by no other than Kanye West - says: 'I would very much like to be excluded from this narrative.' which was from a statement she released regarding the Snapchat videos that Kim Kardashian released.
Overall, this music video blows my mind. There's so much going on and Taylor Swift nails everything completely. She proves that she can hold a grudge; hell, we know that from her previous songs. There's so much shade that we all love this way too much. Plus, there's bound to be references we have all missed in this music video. It's clear that "Reputation" is going to be one of the best albums this year, and I cannot wait to hear her other tracks. She also confirmed that there will be 15 tracks on the new album, the same amount of Taylors that can be seen in the ending scene. Some believe that each of the Taylors represents a song and hence why the sixth Taylor is the Cheetah-Print Taylor because this track is so shady.
They recently released their self-titled album; Fifth Harmony continues to stay strong as a four-piece girl group. Their new album hasn't impressed me, though, and I truly believe it's their weakest album to date. The previous two albums they have released have been killer LPs with every single song on point; this one, however, just doesn't live up to the standard they have previously set. Regardless, "Angel" was released as a promotional instant grat single, and just like "Write On Me", it received a music video. YAS! Thank you! Watch a man fall asleep and dream up Fifth Harmony who proves they are anything but angels in this music video for instant grat single "Angel".
Fifth Harmony are a four-piece girl group consisting of Normani Kordei, Lauren Jauregui, Ally Brooke, and Dinah Jane Hansen. They previously were a five-piece, hence the name, but Camila Cabello left the group and has gone solo; if you didn't know already. They were formed on The X Factor (US). This song follows "Down" which featured Gucci Mane - and is the only collaboration on their new album. It's a catchy R&B-style ballad, yet it's nothing on "Write On Me" or the other tracks they released in the past. It did manage to chart in some countries, although no great chart numbers. The song was written by Sonny Moore and Jason Boyd.
Directed by David Camarena, this music video doesn't have a high budget because it was a promotional single; most, of which, don't even get a music video. It's a pure performance visual, that has a slight narrative throughout.
Quite a bit of thought went into the video, especially the opening sequence where the word "Angel" appears in a devilish font. We then see a man lying in bed, clearly dreaming about this four-piece girl group.
For the rest of the video, we watch Fifth Harmony performing the track in neon lights. They bring energetic vibes and quite the aggressive body language as if the camera is their ex - who we presume is the one who is dreaming about them.
The scenes aren't all that memorable and it's not something that will stay in my mind. At the very end, the guy wakes up with quite the shocked expression on his face. It's a good concept, but it's just lacking a lot.
After interviewing Shangela for CelebMix, yesterday, I just had to review one of her music videos. Little did I know how incredible the song and the visual will be; call me impressed, as I did not expect this at all! Halleloo! The song certainly reminds me of RuPaul's "Supermodel (You Better Work)", but has Shangela's stamp all over it; it's basically her personality in song form and it totally works. I cannot get enough of this song. Watch Shangela Laquifa Wadley dance, sing, and audition, whilst claiming that she came to work and that she is a pro in this music video for "Werqin' Girl (Professional)".
Shangela Laquifa Wadley, real name D.J. Pierce, made a name for herself by being the first contestant of RuPaul's Drag Race to compete in two seasons. She first appeared in season two, where she was the first to leave; yet, she returned for season three where she popped out of a box and came fifth overall. She has since toured all over the world, co-starred in Hurricane Bianca, and has released a few singles and music videos. She exclusively told CelebMix that she will be in new film A Star Is Born which also stars Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga; she also revealed that new music will be on the way too. The future is looking bright for Shangela, and she continues to bring it when needed. This song was written by D.J "Shangela" Pierce and C.J. Emmons.
Directed by Camrin William, this music video is a pure performance piece that really puts Shangela in the spotlight. She nails all the choreography and the scenes. It also stars Jennifer Lewis, Abby Lee Miller, Yara Sofia, Jason J. Carter, Josue de la Vega, Vincent Harris, Tony Moore, Jonathan Silva, Francisco Thurston, Samantha Starr, and Mia Fierce.
The opening scene sees Shangela and her girls sitting on a couch as a commercial featuring Abbie Lee Miller comes on asking if you have what it takes for the Abbie Lee Dance Company, suggesting that you should get down to auditions. This is where Shangela calls the number and starts her opening lyrics.
Then Shangela turns it out for the rest of the music video, being fierce at the camera, and dancing like that is what she was born to do. She totally brings it for the music video, adding comedy and showing off her performance skills.
There are various clips such as the scene where Abbie Lee Miller saying no to D.J. Pierce - who isn't dressed in drag. She can also be seen singing along to the lyrics at one point. There's also the dance-off scene which is on point in every way. And, we can't forget about the scene where the dancers leave and Shangela talks about going down the elevator.
Jennifer Lewis appears towards the end, saying that she taught Shangela all that. Also, at the very end is the words "In Loving Memory of Our 'Sista' Sahara Davenport" with Shangela and Yara Sofia holding up a large photo of the drag queen; she died of heart failure in 2012 at age 27. She was a contestant on the second series, alongside Shangela.
Overall, this music video is well thought out and completely fierce. Shangela brings it, she states that she "came to work" and that is exactly what she does. It is low-budget and there are a few scenes that I wish had been done better; however, this is a killer song with a killer music video! Halleloo!
We've all been missing The Saturdays and their music but, luckily, Mollie King's brand new song and video are giving us all sorts of girl group vibes. The song itself reminds me of Girls Aloud's "Sexy! No No No...", while she impresses with her vocal range. It's something new and different for her considering she released her debut single, "Back To You", which was more of a pop-ballad. The release of this song coincides with the fifteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing, which launches next week; where Mollie King has been confirmed as a contestant. Watch Mollie King dance with her girls, flipping her hair and bringing it completely for this music video for "Hair Down".
Mollie King is best known for being one-fifth of British girl group The Saturdays, who are currently on hiatus with no plans to reunite - will they ever get back together? (We shall keep dreaming of the day that they do). She is setting her sights on a solo music career, but "Back To You" totally underperformed when it was released last year; it also has a killer music video that I'll never forget. Now, she's got this new song which I can't help but love, and with her being a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing next week, this could actually become a hit single for her; I sure hope it does. This song was written by Mollie King, Ben Taylor, Brian Higgins, Carla Marie Williams, Florrie Arnold, Georgia Morgan, Keir MacCulloch, Kris Ryeland, Kyle Mackenzie, Lauren Morgan, Sarah Thompson, and Timothy Deal.
Directed by Kyle Lewis, the music video was filmed in South Africa. The song and the visual certainly has a Kylie Minogue vibe to it as well as Girls Aloud; the latter of which isn't a surprise since the song is a collaboration with Girls Aloud producers Xenomania.
There is a lot of bright colours going on and edited slow motion, both of which relate to the song perfectly. There is great dance choreography that Mollie King perfects with her backing dancers. The visual is on fire from start to finish.
There's a lot of style and fashion going on in the clip, with Mollie King totally showing herself off as a professional artist; one who is determined to make it in this industry. She easily connects with the audience, as the dance moves are something any of us could nail if we put our mind to it.
Overall, this basic music video has got me gripped. Mollie King proves that this is exactly what she should be doing. She brings performance vibes and energy that just makes this track even better. I so hope that this slowly rises on the charts as she competes in Strictly Come Dancing.
Thursday Revisit time, and I was extremely interested in listening to some of J Balvin's early hits, so I chose this one since it did well in some international countries. The song is catchy, to an extent, and J Balvin is looking well stylish and hot, whereas now he has his own unique style that only he can pull off; in contrast, he's slick and stylish here. This track is certainly one of his defining releases and just listening to the song, you realise why that is. Watch J Balvin leave a woman in a hotel room all by herself as he drives away in this music video for "Yo Te Lo Dije" - which is Spanish for "I Told You".
J Balvin, full name José Balvin, is one of the biggest male artists in Latin music at the moment. He's had plenty of phenomenal career moves that has launched him to the top. He's now a highly successful international star, even bringing Latin music to countries that haven't given this genre a chance - I am totally talking about the UK here. Not only that, he has sung with some of the biggest stars in the world, including my queen, Inna - on "Cola Song". So, I have been aware of him for a few years, and I'm glad he's getting the global credibility he deserves. His latest single, "Mi Gente", in collaboration with Willy William, is a complete international success; and, is the reason I'm reviewing this song for my Thursday Revisit. "Yo Te Lo Dije" charted at number one in Columbia and number four in Romania, as well as various US Latin charts. It was written by José Balvin.
The song is about a one night stand and the agreement that they wouldn't call each other the next day and that they will go their separate ways. Well, that didn't happen, because J Balvin sticks to his plans and drives away to Las Vegas, whereas the woman he was with, wakes up and calls him.
If the song is anything to go by, she's hoping she can convince him to come back to her. He ends up pulling over and speaking to her in Spanish, basically telling her that this is what they agreed and that he was clear from the start.
Throughout the rest of the video, we watch J Balvin perform his song, and he is bringing pure Latin vibes. This song is really groovy and it's no surprise it was a hit in a few countries. It shows how much of a brilliant performer he is, and how he deserves to be on stages all across the world - which he sure will be now! He's one artist I wouldn't want to miss at a festival! I also bet he enjoyed filming this music video with that Lamborghini.
We have a new song from Antonia, well sort of, as she features on Micke's debut single as Global Records launches into a Latin subsidiary label. I wrote this for CelebMix earlier today, and I just had to include it on my blog because I am addicted to this track and both Micke and Antonia's vocals work perfectly together. Watch Micke act as a mechanic as he checks out girls and dances with them whilst Antonia performs at a distance with her own girls in this music video for "El Amor".
Micke, full name Micke Moreno, has been in front of the camera since he was young. He's been on various TV shows, commercials, advertisements, and much more; most recently he appeared as a contestant on La Banda and The X Factor US. Now, he finally gets to release his debut single, and it features the incredible Antonia. Full name Antonia Iacobescu, she is an ex-model who has had a successful career in music, hitting international markets with the Tom Boxer single "Morena" and having a few top hits all on her own. This was a perfect team up that works completely on the track itself. It was written by Sebastian Barac, Marcel Botezan, and Micke Moreno.
Directed by Ionut Trandafir, the music video is a pure performance piece that has a slight narrative going on. It takes place in a caravan park, where Micke plays a mechanic, fixing up a car. All the while, Antonia and a bunch of girls are just hanging out, and dancing to the track.
There is a massive degree of separation between Antonia and Micke, it's almost as if she didn't want to be a part of the video, and was only drafted in because they wanted a big name to feature on the track. She stuns us from the opening and refuses to fade into the background as the video continues; bringing her usual performance vibes, ones I hope I get to experience one day. I need to see Antonia live in concert.
As for Micke, he really gets involved. It's clear he is loving every minute of this music video. Yet, he practically ignores Antonia, and although the distance is something we get used to with every play, it still looks completely awkward. Regardless, he brings so much passion to this video, that he's full of energy.
The song is totally amazing, and one I can't stop playing. Regardless of the awkwardness, the music video comes across well, with Micke and Antonia performing perfectly. The background dancers and actors play their roles well, bringing their own fun narrative to the table too. Overall, it's one video we don't mind playing again and again.
YouTube Recommendations have come through once again and it suggested me to watch this music video, which has an epic storyline that will keep me addicted as each new video drops, I'm sure. At 21 he entered the porn industry, thanks to a persistent Grindr member, which he revealed in his exclusive interview with Midlands Zone - which is where I've heard his name from since I read that magazine from time to time. He's coming out of porn to focus on his music career, he also has two books published as well. He's clearly got a lot going for him. Watch Mickey Taylor loved up with Gabriel Phoenix which has a twist at the end and is part of a seven-part story in this music video for "All Day" which features ØMC.
Mickey Taylor first came to my attention when he graced the cover of Midlands Zone (who I wish would employ me - a guy can dream). I didn't even link this video to the cover of the magazine until I checked out his Facebook page - I knew I'd heard the name before, but had no idea why, and now I do. He can also be seen in Jordan Gray's music video for "Platinum". He's building his career and he has quite a nice voice if this song is anything to go with. I came across this music video through YouTube Recommendations after reviewing Brandon Stansell's "Spare Change", and now I'm definitely interested in seeing where Mickey Taylor takes his musical career next, plus I need to watch the other six parts of this story. The track features ØMC, real name John Neff, who is a Chicago producer who has worked with the likes of PJ Brennan, Lana Lubany, and Ryoko Miza. This is a great song that sure is catchy, that definitely makes me interested in listening to the rest of Mickey Taylor's songs, which includes two albums and plenty of singles. "All Day" was written by ØMC.
The music video was directed by Ashton Bradley & Mickey Taylor. It was filmed in Brighton and also stars Gabriel Phoenix and Theo Ford.
There's a lot of cute things going on, mainly Mickey Taylor and Gabriel Phoenix walking along Brighton beach. We also see them do various cute things together, including a fun ice cream scene, and a full-on arcade scene that sees them play on the dance machine, the claw crane, and the air hockey machine.
The final scene sees them in a bar, and Mickey Taylor asks a guy in the bar - who is played by Theo Ford - to take a picture of him and Gabriel Phoenix on the window ledge; he then goes and grabs a drink for Theo Ford to thank him. As he returns from the bar, he's shocked when he sees Gabriel Phoenix's hand on Theo Ford's leg - this has a lot of drama going on, especially when the audience watches the swap of numbers behind Mickey Taylor's back.
Overall this narrative is well thought out, yet not as dramatic as I was hoping it would be - to be fair, considering I've been watching web series The Horizon, this music video seems completely tame in comparison. Mickey Taylor has a segmented performance piece throughout, where he really shows he has connected with the song perfectly.
Finally, J Balvin gets a top ten hit in the UK, it's just a shame it wasn't "Cola Song" which is Inna's song that he features on. Every time I read his name, I say it the way he does in that song. Anyhow, this has launched up the chart with the help of Snapchat filters, since this song was played when a certain face filter was chosen. This music video gets reviewed for my Chart Mondays' review since Dua Lipa has made it a second week at number one on the UK Chart with the awesome tune "New Rules". This is also Willy William's first global hit too! Watch J Balvin and Willy William bring it in this extremely burst of colour that pulsates throughout in this music video for "Mi Gente".
J Balvin, full name José Balvin, is a Columbian reggaeton singer who has collaborated with a whole host of big names and has been focusing on his career for many years; and, finally, he's getting the recognition he deserves all around the world. It's been the perfect time for him to capitalise on his career as Latin music is ever-so-popular right now. This track is in collaboration with Willy William, who is a French artist whose previous biggest hit was 2015's "Ego". It'll be interesting what steps he takes next and whether he can keep a hold of this international fame because we sure know J Balvin will continue to release big hits around the world. The song has topped many international charts, as well as gained top ten's in much more. The song was written by José Osorio, Willy William, Adam Ashadally, Andrés David Restrepo, and Mohombi Nzasi Moupondo.
Directed by Juan Pablo Valencia as part of 36 Grados, this music video is a pure performance piece with a burst of nonstop colour throughout. The beat kicks in straight away and it's completely addicting as we watch a reflected city and completely colourful backgrounds in front of J Balvin and Willy William and the dancers.
There's a lot of head bopping during the opening scenes, showcasing the rhythmic grooves and the bright colours. Then the dancers come out, bringing freelance interspersed with some choreography. They're in time to the beat throughout, showcasing the song even more.
The performance piece of J Balvin and Willy William is on fire. They show their energy and what they would be like on stage. Just imagine seeing them live! They perform on a bus and in a club, and J Balvin even does some choreographed foot work. There's also a lot of fire and smoke when night draws in, with a football and a bicycle both on fire.
As the end comes closer, we watch similar visuals from the opening, but in reverse. Either there's a burst of colour, editing that removes colour, and splitting the visuals of the dancers in half - which they don't even try to make look real.
Overall the song totally makes this video, and it's that beat that has got us all addicted. The visual itself isn't anything special; although, it's good to see J Balvin and Willy William performing the track, showing exactly how they do it on stage. They're definitely people we wouldn't want to miss at a festival. The burst of colour is refreshing too and sure will brighten up the music channels.
Here's a new music video from Brandon Stansell, and I fully love it! He deserves to reach his goal on Kickstarter so that he can release his debut album because I cannot wait to see what other tracks he has in store. So if you haven't backed his project yet, I highly suggest you do so right now! The song is one of my favourites from Brandon Stansell, and I hope there are a few more tracks like this one on his new album - if it ever gets released; since the Kickstarter campaign is all-or-nothing. So support this gay country singer by backing his project. In this music video, Brandon Stansell makes a statement and a visual impact as he shows that culture plays a big part in America for this song "Spare Change".
Directed by Trent Atkinson, this music video has both a narrative and a performance piece. The latter showcases Brandon Stansell as a brilliant singer and performer, whilst the former makes a perfect cultural impact.
The opening scene sees a backpacker walking across a field, towards a city - which we presume is Los Angeles. He hops on to a metro train, where he spots a woman, who he smiles at as she dons a headscarf. When the train stops at their station, they meet up, and she takes him around Los Angeles, showing off her culture.
Throughout, the visual is segmented by a performance scene from Brandon Stansell. He releases energetic vibes that are full of emotion; it's clear this song means a lot to him whilst giving it this jovial spin that brings on a great positive meaning; effortlessly relating to the song throughout.
The ending makes a massive statement, not just in America but all over the world. Our characters come across five red posters that say "America is full go home". The male character shreds the posters up as the female character takes offence to the poster's words. We later see various people shredding the posters up before Brandon Stansell remakes the poster to say "America is home".
Overall, this music video is well thought out, makes the perfect statement, and relates to the song easily. This visual is something I'll never forget, and it's so heartwarming to watch. Culture and beliefs shouldn't separate, it should bring people closer together. Thank you, Brandon Stansell, for this music video; it deserves to be seen by a lot more people.
It's been two months since Relley C dropped her debut single "Unruly", which I wrote up for CelebMix and Outlet Magazine. Last night, she dropped the music video for this song and it is completely awesome. Again, I wrote it up for CelebMix and Outlet Magazine; and I am so happy there's a music video so I can now review it on my blog. It's high-quality, brilliantly edited and even features a mini-me in the visual. It was so worth the wait. Watch Relley C be "Unruly" reflecting back on her past and her childhood in her debut music video.
Relley C, real name Sherelle Clarke, is a home girl; she hails from my home city of Birmingham! Not only that, but she is an incredible singer/songwriter, who I have followed since her first audition on The X Factor series 10. She got as far as the Judges' Houses before being eliminated. Luckily, she returned for series 13 and I got to support her once again. This time around she made it to the live shows and placed 10th overall - although she totally deserved to get much further. "Unruly" was written by Relley C, Lei Jennings, and The 1990 Club.
Directed by Olvr G, filmed and edited by 'eyekandyvisuals', and co-shot by FF Creative, this music video is a pure performance visual set within a slight narrative. Relley C is accompanied by a child version of herself who is played by Portia.
There are a few different scenes, most of which shows Relley C looking out across a very beautiful landscape. It's serene watching her perform outwards. She can also be spotted in a tree, and in a field - where her mini-me is in the background doing back flips.
As expected, Relley C gives it her all for the music video; she's a total natural as if this is exactly the place she's meant to be, showcasing herself as an artist in a music video. I am loving the shots and her confidence and her performance vibes. The whole visual totally excites me for the day I eventually see her live on stage.
Overall, this music video is great, I love some of the transitions between adult Relley C and young Relley C. I already love the song, but it's even better now we have a visual to go along with it. I cannot wait to see what the future brings to this soulful R&B singer/songwriter. Keep your eye on Relley C!
The haunting hungry track we have been waiting for from Fergie is finally here. Fergie dropped this track and video today, along with an instant grat single of "You Already Know" which features Nicki Minaj. As for this track, she teased it back in June 2016, and many believed it would become the third single, instead "Life Goes On" appeared out of nowhere. Watch Fergie showcase her new song "Hungry" with Rick Ross in this black and white, highly edited, music video that is completely fierce!
Fergie - who was born Stacy Ferguson but has now changed her name to Fergie Duhamel after marrying Josh Duhamel - is gearing up for the release of her second studio album, titled Double Duchess. The album has been a long-time coming and fans are completely excited. Fergie has been teasing this song for over a year, so we're all ecstatic to be able to play it in full through our speakers. Not only that, but we also love that she dropped another song from her upcoming album, titled "You Already Know" which features Nicki Minaj. I hope both songs get the success that they deserve because I can't stop listening to them! Fergie is truly back! On this song is Rick Ross, real name William Roberts II, who is one of the biggest American rappers around. His name is iconic, so it's great to see that he's collaborated with the equally iconic Fergie. This song was written by Fergie Duhamel, Lisa Gerrard, and Brendan Perry.
The music video was directed by Bruno Ilogti. It's a full out edited music video using amazing techniques that keep the audience entertained as we have no idea what is going to happen next.
There's so much imagery going on in this music video, it's hard to even catch everything; which is a good thing because, on every replay, you find something new. We love the split screen of Fergie and Rick Ross, creating an even bigger haunting effect, just like the song.
Then there's Fergie cutting her hair off, giving herself a trim; suggesting her music has transformed into something new - and I'm so excited to hear the rest of her album.
Her performance piece is complete fire. She brings it like only Fergie can; Rick Ross also measures up perfectly. This visual works with the song, creating a dark and haunting concept that literally has the chance to go in various directions. It's great promotion for her new album, and I cannot wait for that!
This was the first of many international hits from DJ Antoine so, of course, I was going to review this music video for my Thursday Revisit. There's not a lot to it, and it's a typical video to a club song, that we've seen time and again. As for the song, it's undeniably catchy and totally works in every way. I love this team-up and can truly feel what DJ Antoine has done to the song. Watch DJ Antoine and Timati live their lives to the full in this music video for this club-induced track "Welcome To St. Tropez" featuring Kalenna.
DJ Antoine, full name Antoine Konrad, is one of the top Switzerland DJs in the world. He gained international success upon the release of this song. Since then he has built his name and brand. He has plenty of number ones in his home country, and he's ready to blow up around the world. He's definitely a DJ who will have a global hit in the coming years, so be prepared to say 'I heard him first'. This track was originally a Timati track before DJ Antoine came in and switched it up. Timati, real name Timur Yunusov, is a Russian hip-hop artist who has worked with top names in the music industry. This song is his biggest hit to date. He has collaborated a few times with DJ Antoine over the years, and it's clearly a continued, blossoming friendship between them. Featured on this track is Kalenna, who doesn't appear in the music video; she also wasn't a part of the original song; instead, it featured Russian singer Blue Marine. Kalenna, full name Kalenna Harper, is probably best known for performing in the duo Dirty Money; who collaborated with Sean Coombs (known as P. Diddy, Puff Daddy, Diddy, and Puffy) a few times, creating Diddy - Dirty Money. Collectively they had a range of global hits. It's not a surprise this collaboration did well.
The video is a typical club performance piece that showcases events that DJ Antoine and Timati perform at. The video is set in Saint-Tropez, France.
The opening scenes show a yacht on the water, and the guys driving around in a Ferrari and an Audi. Throughout we see expensive cars including Porsches, a Chevrolet, a Bugatti, an Aston Martin, and much more. Then we see snippets of these two scenes throughout the visuals, cut between a pool party, event and club performances, and celebrity parties.
The scenes continue for the rest of the music video, and it is an overdone visual; however, it continues to relate to the song since clubs is exactly where this song would've been played. Not only that but they are showing that they do have too much money, just like the song suggests; enticing us all to Saint-Tropez. If only we had the money ourselves!
I had totally forgotten all about this banger of a song until I wrote about it for CelebMix, and the original is such a tune; but, DJ Antoine & Dizkodude have given it a very current tropical house mix that just makes this track even better. The music video is engaging from the get go, and I love the various rooms that the two characters walk through. The song itself deserves to be a hit. Many old songs are being refreshed, and this is just another one that is absolutely incredible. It needs to rise up on the charts. Watch DJ Antoine chase his real-life partner Laura Zurbriggen as she teases him into various rooms before he finally catches up with her in this music video for his collaboration with Dizkodude, titled "I Love Your Smile" featuring Sibbyl.
DJ Antoine, full name Antoine Konrad, is a Swiss DJ and is probably best known for various hit songs, but mainly "Welcome To St. Tropez" which verses Timati and featured Kalenna, as well as "Ma Chérie" which featured The Beat Shakers, and "Bella Vita". He's one of the biggest DJs from Switzerland and has had many number one albums and singles in his home country. He's also grazed charts around the world with his most popular songs. He continues to prove that he's a DJ to watch. For this song, he teamed up with Dizkodude, real name Bart Vanhoyland, who is a DJ from Belgium. He has been going for many years and has continued to build up his career. This song has already become his most streamed song on Spotify, I can't wait to see what the future brings for him. Featured on this track is Sibbyl, real name Loren Geerts, who is completely new to the music scene. This is her first release and she has contributed by singing the lyrics of the song. It is quite the honour to be singing a refresh cover of Shanice's "I Love Your Smile", which was originally an international success, managing to chart within the top ten in various countries in 1991 and 1992. It's about time a DJ came along and mixed this into an unstoppable club track, and now we have one. I just wish this launched up charts around the world and would get more recognition. It was written by Jarvis La Rue Baker, Sylvester Jackson, Narada Walden, and Shanice Wilson.
The music video was directed by Haris Dubica. It stars DJ Antoine as he follows a woman around a hotel through a long line of rooms that show different scenarios. His on-screen love interest is played by actress and model Laura Zurbriggen, who is actually his real-life partner.
The opening scene sees Laura Zurbriggen smelling a rose, she then drops it on the table in front of DJ Antoine - teasing him. She climbs the stairs and he follows her up into a room. This is where the first of many scenes appear.
We watch them go through various rooms. In the first one, we see a drag queen working the camera as rose petals fall - a great link back to the rose Laura dropped in front of Antoine. Then as the drop kicks in the song, we see a raver room where we expect DJ Antoine and Dizkodude feel right at home in - I also want his denim jacket in this scene!
Next up is a masquerade ball scene, which brings a Marie Antoinette feel to it, as DJ Antoine gets down on one knee and kisses Laura Zurbriggen's hand. Then we go into a futuristic space cake decoration room - after they have left the room, we see two children reenacting the scene. Then comes the popcorn room.
The very next scene is beyond iconic. We watch DJ Antoine as a drawing, he walks into a room where Elvis Presley, David Bowie, Michael Jackson, and Bob Marley, are sitting around a table creating a song - imagine the outcome of that songwriting session. Then he walks into a room where a groom and a bride are together lovingly, but she makes a grab for DJ Antoine whilst Laura Zurbriggen fights for her man. Then comes the bowling scene, where he becomes distracted; and then there's the powerful money gang who has someone tied up. DJ Antoine then loses Laura Zurbriggen and mistakenly walks into the women's bathroom.
He back tracks through all the rooms, stumbling across his mini-me in the cake room, and coming across an enticing room where three reincarnations of himself are playing cards - now that's my idea of heaven but we'd be doing something totally different than playing cards. In the final scene, DJ Antoine finds Laura Zurbriggen in the seat he once occupied, in the hotel lobby, holding the rose, smiling.
This music video has it all! It works completely with a brilliant narrative that entices the audience from start to finish. The song is beyond catchy and they've managed to capture the whole meaning of the song in the various rooms and the narrative. I can't stop watching this, and a lot of effort has certainly gone into this visual, especially since their outfits and their style completely change in each room. This will forever remain a treasure of mine and will be getting this extremely rare rating because it more than deserves it. I just wish the song would appear on charts around the world so that music channels everywhere would be able to show this visual often.
I struggled today finding a music video I wanted to review, mainly because I have had quite the down day (apart from one little surprise). I decided to review a Saara Aalto song because she inspires me. She's been attempting a career in music for many years and she has built it up and never gave up - and she was absolutely incredible at Birmingham Pride 2017. There are not many music videos from her to choose from, now that I've reviewed "Blessed With Love" and "You Had My Heart". This one is a very sweet ballad from her, that she totally nails, which I totally expected. Watch Saara Aalto pine after her lover who has gone away but she plans on finding him in this sweet music video for "Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind".
Saara Aalto is a singer/songwriter from Finland. She came second on the 13th series of The X Factor and also came second, twice, in Finland's national selection to Eurovision in 2011 and 2016; the former was called Euroviisut 2011, and the latter was called Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu. Not only that but in 2012 she competed in The Voice of Finland during season one, where she also came second. She will be a judge on The X Factor Suomi which returns for its second season in 2018. This song is a part of her debut album along with title track "Blessed With Love". It was written by Saara Aalto herself.
This music video was directed by Sakari Mäkelä. It's a pure performance visual with only a few scenes. Saraa Aalto works the camera even when she's not looking towards it; she's totally camera-friendly.
As per usual, Saara Aalto brings it for this sweet ballad. I love how she's missing her love while she's on the bed, holding his photo close to her. She can also be seen in a forested setting and climbing over rocks. She really gets into this character.
Unfortunately, we don't see the guy that she mentions in the song. Yet, budgeting might have been the reason behind this. The video may be low-budget, but Saara Aalto works with it, conveys the narrative along with a fully fleshed out performance visual and gives us a great video in every way.
Where did this one come from? Like, seriously? It's just crept into the top ten of the UK Singles Chart at number eight, which is its highest peak to date. This week's number one is Dua Lipa's "New Rules" which I reviewed last week, therefore opening the top ten today's Chart Mondays review. I'm actually surprised I haven't written about this video yet. My problem with this is that Bebe Rexha is only featured on the track, whereas her involvement makes it much more like a collaboration and so I feel like it should be Louis Tomlinson & Bebe Rexha, especially since they both appear in the music video as much as each other and she even starts the track off. Watch Louis Tomlinson walk around Doncaster showcasing his football skills and Doncaster Rovers Football Club's Keepmoat Stadium whilst Bebe Rexha acts as the sexy girl next door in this music video for "Back To You" featuring Digital Farm Animals.
Louis Tomlinson is best known for being one-fifth/one-fourth of One Direction, who are on hiatus as they all focus on their solo music careers. All the members have gone in completely different genres of music, yet they are all performing well when it comes to the charts. This is Louis Tomlinson's second single to date and it's done moderately well on charts around the world - it's certainly a grower of a song. He's also made his mark in the football world, having played for Doncaster on non-contract terms; he has also played in charity football matches. Featured on this track is Bebe Rexha, real name Bleta Rexha; she's an American singer who has been building up her career for a few years. She's definitely one who likes to impress and will continue to build her name and reputation. She's had quite a few hits to date in collaborations, but it's about time she had a solo hit. Also featured is Digital Farm Animals, real name Nicholas Gale, who is a British DJ. He has worked with a lot of big names so far; yet, this song is his biggest hit to date. I expect we'll be hearing more of him in the future. The song was written by Louis Tomlinson, Nicholas James Gale, Pablo Bowman, Richard Boardman, and Sarah Blanchard.
Directed by Craig Moore, this music video is a pure performance visual that doesn't add anything to the song - in my opinion. I feel that the video doesn't go anywhere and doesn't attract the audience in pressing that replay button.
Kicking the song and the video off is Bebe Rexha, she's in Doncaster with Louis Tomlinson, but they don't meet up until much later in the video. As for Louis, he's walking around the streets of Doncaster, showcasing the back alleys and the streets. He comes across a kid, they play football together and Louis kicks the ball into the goal - poor kid.
The video continues with some cute shots of these two singers together. From Keepmoat Stadium to them performing on a couch in an alley. There's also a café shot which is where Louis Tomlinson starts to sing; as well as a pool club venue, where you can see both singers with cues.
Overall, this video goes nowhere, it doesn't keep the audience interested and Bebe Rexha practically pulls Louis Tomlinson through this performance. He seems really down, which doesn't sit right considering the song is supposed to be a light-hearted track. There is down bits about the song but there's also nice bits too, and I just feel Louis Tomlinson fails to bring the emotion across for the song in the visual. It's slightly relatable though, and it showcases his love for football.
This is the party song that I love hearing when I'm in the club. My friends and I have perfected our dance moves to the chorus of this song; it's definitely extremely catchy, although we're not as good as Demi Lovato and her backing dancers in this video. This hasn't charted that well globally, and I expect it to climb up in some countries the more we hear it and fall in love with it. "Instruction" definitely goes off when we're in a club. Watch Demi Lovato show off her dancing skills and sexy looks to the camera in this music video for Jax Jones' "Instruction" as Stefflon Don raps whilst riding a horse.
Jax Jones, real name Timucin Aluo, first came on to the scene after meeting Duke Dumont and collaborating with him on "I Got U". His biggest single to date is "You Don't Know Me" which features RAYE. We expect to see a lot more music coming our way from this DJ very soon, especially since he's collaborated with this highly successful singer, Demi Lovato. She came from the Disney channel, and continues to prove she is on her game; she delivers highly catchy songs with on-point vocals throughout. She's a total star. As for Stefflon Don, real name Stephanie Allen, she's a fairly new British rapper who is definitely putting her stamp on the music industry - she totally brings it with this song and video. I expect to see more top hits from her in the future. This song was written by Uzoechi Emenike (MNEK), Stephanie Allen, Demi Lovato, and Timucin Aluo.
Directed by Ozzie Pullin, the music video was filmed in Los Angeles, California. It's a full-on dance music video - which is to be expected since that chorus contains dance move instructions, that my friend and I kill on the dance floor.
We start off with Jax Jones playing the drums linking this to its extremely tropical sound of the song. Demi Lovato is snapshotted throughout the intro, clearly making the statement that she's on this track and completely ready to bring it in every way.
The chorus has a specific set of dance moves and Demi Lovato nails these completely, along with her backing dancers. The choreography is totally lit and it's something that we all want to learn so we can pull it off in time with this video. However, the chorus does get on my nerves slightly, as Demi Lovato missteps in the song and the word "Left" sounds kind of hesitant, which annoys me a lot!
The verses bring more sexy face shots for the camera. It's not the best at profiling, but when it comes to Stefflon Don, she fully brings it whilst being on a horse - now that is talent. Still, the editing and the camera work doesn't allow the audience to fully connect with everything going on.
It's a great party song that I absolutely love, but the music video definitely falls short. We needed something amazing and this is just plain, with a great dance choreography segment for the chorus; although, it's not something we can easily learn and Demi Lovato comes off a little like she's out with her girls training in trackies, rather than performing in a music video.
I'm literally running out of Little Mix music videos to review, I've almost done them all. Luckily, there's a few of them left for me to cover, and today is a massively important day since today marks their sixth year anniversary. I have just written up an article about their best album tracks that should've been official singles for CelebMix. I highly suggest you check it out! This song is one of my favourites from this group and definitely club-worthy! However, the music video is difficult to keep up, with too many intercutting scenes; comparing this to the recent "Touch" really shows this up as a hard-to follow music video. Watch Little Mix dance their way through this song with backing dancers and on point choreography in this music video for "Move".
Little Mix are still the only group to have won The X Factor. They were put together on the eighth series of the show in 2011, and are celebrating their sixth year anniversary today. The group consists of Perrie Edwards, Jade Thirlwall, Jesy Nelson, and Leigh-Anne Pinnock. They have had a whole range of hit songs and continue to dominate as one of the biggest girl groups in the world. "Move" acted as their first single from their second studio album - the album that spawned the least amount of singles; but there were plenty of amazing ones they could've chosen. This song managed to chart in many countries, even gaining number three in the UK and number five in Ireland. The song was written by Maegan Cottone, Nathan Duvall, Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and Jade Thirlwall.
Directed by Carly Cussen, the music video is a performance-based piece that showcases the girls' ability to dance whilst also looking down-to-earth. They easily connect with the audience.
There's not a lot to this. There's a lot of bright backing colour going on, helping the girls to pop in the visuals. The spotlights are on them from start to finish, apart from the very start where they are silhouettes.
The dance choreography is complex and intricate to a certain extent. It's clear that Little Mix worked really hard on nailing the moves and in the entire clip they fully bring it in every way. They're totally in-sync and they have so much energy.
The problem is, we're switching between way too many scenes. The editing of this makes it very difficult to watch however it's full of great vibes that keep us until the end. The profile shots of Little Mix helps the audience identify with each and every one of the four girls.
