Analysing Music Videos

   

MØ - Walk This Way - Goodwins' Theory

    

According to Andrew Goodwins' theory, the music video 'Walk This Way' by the new upcoming artist MØ portrays all the 5 Key Aspects of a Music video.

The Music video highlights MØ's alternative edge that she produces through within her music. MØ sticks to the electronic street-vibe indie pop genre which is made immediately clear to the spectator of the music video; if not already done so in the music. Alongside MØ, artist Charlie XCX has also got a common style in which she shows her music, due to having a similar genre of songs.

The genre characteristics of the 'Walk This Way' music video has an american school, independent, strong woman, vibe among it, which is highlighted by having closeups of different women, making them seem empowering, which is also seen often in Charlie XCX's music videos. This links tot the song title being an imperative - 'Walk This Way', as it illustrates power and attitude. Furthermore, there is little dance routine and mostly just stills of the other women, whilst the artist is singing and moving around; giving the music video an alternative vibe which we usually do not get in our common pop music videos.

The video has a strong link and relationship to the music and lyrics due to the message of the song being important and meaningful. The chorus consists of repeating the line - " All my life I've stepped to the rhythm of the drums inside me head...". This essentially means that the artist MØ, has broken away from societies norms and values, therefore making her an idol and empowered person. This is noticeable in the music video when she is the only one standing out singing, and is made as the focus of the screen due to being different.

MØ's record label, Sony Music Entertainment, deems it important to keep MØ's message of feminism and the importance of sticking up for what you believe in as important. They ensured that even the visuals in her music videos focus on this message. They display this message to the audience by constantly bringing up close ups of the artist and making her the center of display, this virtually depicts how far she has come and how she has gained her success by sticking to these morals.

Alongside this, the music video does not contain any males, any obvious attempt of sexual images of women and filmed in a way that does not focus the attention of women being seen in the typical way that popular and most music videos portray them as being. In turn this heightens the awareness of the message that MØ wants to spread. The 'male gaze' is also removed to demonstrate the value in which both MØ and her record label take her message of independence seriously. More over, the abundance of females helps emphasise to the young female demographic, who are typically seen as vulnerable to society, that they can achieve their goals and believe in feminism, which in turn is empowering.

The music video lacks in inter-textual references due to wanting the focus to be solely on the message. However, it does noticeably look like the typical set of an american high schools P.E. field/track/sports hall. This is common in music videos. This stands out as usually the american films/TV shows use this set to show the males physique and athletic ability; therefore when MO uses and dominates this set with her 'girlfriends' she shows strength and goes against social norms with males typically being linked to sports and strength. Similarly Charlie XCX and Iggy Azealia both do a similar thing in their music video 'Fancy'.