Analysis of Music Genre - Miss Georgiou

Music video's can appeal to many different audiences, due to them being entertaining, controversial and can also conventional to their genre. There are many different genres to music, Pop, Rap, Hip-hop, Country, Dance etc, and these all have many different conventions that can also break the boundaries. Some conventions of a music genre can be : 

• Pop Conventions  - back up dancers, expensive clothing, performance, bright colours (pink, red, glittery) upbeat tone, back up singers, dance routines etc
• Rap Conventions - large chains, red clothing, angry tone, exspensive cars, flash jewellery, attractive women etc
• Dance Conventions - upbeat tone, usually a base drop, strobe lighting, flashing lighting, club setting, people dancing, alcohol etc
• Country  Conventions - cowboys, line dancing, barnyard setting, dancing, cowboy hats, set in big open spaces, guitars, banjos

These are just some of your stereotypical conventions to many difference music genres. These can all represent the music video and also the artist in both a positive or negative way. For example, if the artist decides to go against all conventions of his/her music genre it can possibly give a bad reputation as they may lose their niche audience and not allow them to connect or create a relationship with their target audience resulting into losing fans and support. On the other hand, subverting the typical conventions of a music genre could create a wider audience for the artist and show their rebellious attitude towards their codes and conventions to their chosen music genre.

Drake - Over

The first music genre I have been analysing was Rap. I have been looking at the rapper Drake and his song Over. In this music video i had noticed many difference micro-elements and conventions to a rap music video. Firstly in the music video when Drake was sitting on the bed, we see editing used when he changes colour to red for a split second. This was essential to as it represents the artist as very powerful and emotional as we stereotypical represent the colour red as powerful and also with anger. This conveys to the audience that he is getting angry and frustrated before he is about to rap about his life, and this could be represent as part of the emotions he goes through everyday life. This is a typical convention of the rap genre as the audience become intrigued into the understanding of Drake's emotions and feelings and this is again a convention of a rap genre as rapper's always include their emotions (mainly hatred and anger) into their songs and music videos, so they red would represent his emotions entirely throughout the whole music video. This editing style allows the audience to build a relationship with the artist as the audience are able to gather a better connection with the artist as they are able to relate to his emotions as they may have been through a similar period in their lives.

Another editing style used is fast paced editing (quick shots). This editing style is evident when Drake is rapping and when he says 'got everyone here that I didn't know last year'' - here we see in the background on the wall people walking around on the streets but their walking pace is quickened by editing to possibly represent the  people who quickly just walk in and out of his life. This then creates a subversion of the music genre because despite this showing his anger you don't usually see this through image you usually see this through lyrics not both. This then creates a relationship with the audience as they are able to see what it is like to be Drake as an artist and this then helps them empathise with his situation as an artist in which he thinks as soon as he became famous people decided to come into his life in unexpected and use him and then move out of his life so quicky.  This editing style  is also used in order  to  show the convention of the  high tempo and could also represent the quick pace of Drakes rapping, the faster her raps the quicker people move away from him. This could relate to the audience as they may again epathise with Drake as he feels that people don't see him for him as an individual they only see him as an artist and this helps the audience connect with the artist more.

Another editing style used was fading, this is used as Drake fades in and out when he moved into a different location within his music video. This is essential to the music video as it represents Drakes movements in life and shows that he is moving on from one subject to another. Also here editing makes us as the audience believe that by him fading in and out it could represent Drakes feelings and emotions, and how they change throughout the day as he changes location, how he is constantly on the move and so are his emotions. This subverts the conventions of a rap genre as the audience see him from one setting to another and this allows the audience to possibly see the different places in Drakes life that he could possibly have been or even be inspired by and this shows an insight to Drakes life to the audience.

Mis-en-scene such as iconography with lighting. It has very low-key lighting within the setting/background and the top lighting is used to highlight the artist and let him stand out from all of the scenery behind him. This is conventional to a rap genre as this makes Drake (the artist) the centre of attention and this is usually shown through close ups in rap videos but this time they have used the lighting. This essential to a music video as this draws attention to the artist and makes the audience focus more on the artist rather than anything else within the music video. Another mis-en-scene element used was the location. This is evident as we see him in a bedroom and this goes against the conventions of a rap video and this makes the location look domestic and personal relating to his song which is personal to himself and his experiences also. The target audience would be able to relate to the artist therefore create a better relationship with him as it shows the song in more detail and makes the song more realistic to the audience letting them relate to possibly some of his own personal experiences.


Flo Rida - Club Can't Handle Right Now

Another music genre I analysed was Dance. The music video I then looked at was Club Can't Handle Me by the artist Flo Rida. In this dance music video cinematography is used when close up on the artist showing his performance on a larger platform. This platform is just above the audience which shows that he is centre of attention, the main focus of the music video and this therefore is essential in a rap genre/music video and because he needs to promote himself and show he is more impotant than the other people in the music video with him. This is conventional to a dance genre because the artist needs to be the main focus in order to promote himself and the music video and song itself. This then lets him create a relationship with the audience which is more personal as the audience may feel they have a better connection with him due to him perfuming to the camera. This then makes the audience feel they have a better insight to his career as an artist and this makes it have a more realistic and relatable aspect to his music video. This again is conventional to a rap genre as Flo Rida is the centre of attention and he is perceiving his life to be interesting, fun and rather expensive, showing that he can afford the flash cars, the expensive setting in a club and for him to be the centre of attention he is trying to portray himself as being very powerful and well liked by large amounts of crowds.



Another element from cinematography element used is high angle shots which are focussed on the artist which shows him signing/performing into the camera. This is essential in a dance genre as this shows the people behind the artist dancing and looking like they are having a good time. This then then portrays the artist to be a host of a great party and it make the audience believe that he knows how to have a great a great time with the people around him. By having the high angle shots we are now able to see the club setting and this portrays the artists wealth as he is higher than the rest of them and it makes Flo Rida look like he is more in control more 'upper class' than the people that are technically 'below' him. This then makes him create a relationship to the audience as they start to see the more entertaining side to him and this portrays the artist in a better light and this can make his publicity much better and could possibly gain more fans with the persona that he created.

Fast editing is specifically used because it matches the tempo with the song as it changes to different scenes in the club which represents his lifestyle in the club which matches people dancing and having fun. All of the fast paced matches the whole dance scene and this would be conventional of a dance genre as you would expect the tempo to match the movements as it is meant to be dance based. the dancers behind Flo Rida are conventional to a dance genre because dance music videos have back up dancers and they look like they are having fun and they are enjoying their time in the club and they are meant to look as if Flo Rida has hosted a great party. 

The second editing technique that is used is a dissolve at the beginning of the music video which showed the back of a really expensive sports car and then, the scene fades to show two of the fast cars which is are Lamborghini's. This is conventional to a dance music video because at the beginning of any dance song there is a slow build up to the main part of the song therefore this is seen as an introduction to the music video and the song that is about to be played which gives the audience an idea of where the song is taking place. This then makes the audience think that Flo Rida is a wealthy artist who can afford expensive sports cars. This then makes the audience feel more connected to the artist as they look up to him for inspirations that they want to be like Flo Rida and have lots of money and fancy cars.

 Another style used is mis-en-scene iconography which was costumes. In this we see Flo Rida in a red leather jacket, gold long chain, designer RayBans sunglasses and silver studded earrings. Most importantly the costumes show his never ending wealth. For example, the use of the colour red on the leather jacket makes it look more expensive and the red is conventional to any artist as it can represent many different persona such as power, lust, love etc. Here is it essential to have Flo Rida look powerful as he needs to be the centre of attention in the music video and the red leather jacket makes him look like he is the main aspect of the video and completely in charge of everybody else in the music video. It makes him look like he is part of a hierarchy, he is the most powerful and it top of the hierarchy and that everybody should worship him. This can also be seen as through mis-en-scene body language as he always has his hands above in the air and looks aways as if to tell everybody look at me I'm the star of this music video. This is essential as again it shows his power to the audience and show that people respect him as an artist.

Here we see through the use of iconography in mis-en-scene the cockiness of the artist by throwing money up in the air whilst getting out of the Lambrogini sports car. This makes the artist look as if he has got too much money to work with and that he wants to flash it around to everybody that doesn't. This element of mis-en-scene is crucial to the understanding of a dance genre as we see that the artist is wealthy and is ready for a good time, and this can also promote the artist is a positive way as he throws the money up in the air for people to admire him and possibly see him as a role model. This then makes the audience look up to him as a popular figure and decide to be like him as they grow up in the further childhood. He could aspire people to work hard like he has to earn that sort of money and this despite being typical to a dance genre with the flashing of the money, it also promotes a message of hard earned work/money.


Britney Spears - Womanizer

The final artist I looked at was Britney Spears. One of the worlds most famous female artists she has ranged from many different music genres. Alternatively, her main genre being Pop is both conventional to a pop genre and also subverted throughout. Throughout the years she has tried to show that music genre's can be challenged and create a more diverse artist in the music industry.

One way of being conventional to a pop music genre is the way cinematography is presented. In this part of the music video we see a close up of the artist which links into Goodwin's theory of ' series of close-ups used - this particular camera angle is used in order to promote the artist. It shows that all the attention is on her. Here she looks directly at the camera and this makes eye contact with the audience. This is essential as it represents her emotions before the song and it establishes herself as a artist that has changed throughout the years, acting that she still is going strong in the music industry and by being naked, it shows how confident as an individual she is within the music industry. This close up is conventional to a pop music video as in shows the understanding of her emotions and the camera shot allows the audience to have an insight to her emotions and feelings through her constant use of eye contact made through the close-ups. It also allows the audience to gather more information about the artist too.

Another camera angle used are high angles. The high angles are used when she is performing as a character in the narrative of her music video. High angles here are essential to a pop genre as it shows that she is centre of attention and it also shows her performing more than an back ups dancers which is conventional to a thriller as this camera angle makes the focus more on her and makes her look like a leader compared to the dancers in the background. This creates a relationship with the audience as this may make the audience look up to her in the music industry a she looks like a competitor, somebody who knows what she is doing, and somebody who wants things to go her own way, and this could inspire the audience as it could help them with their own confidence as well as the artists.

Mis-en-scene is another element used throughout the entire music video. Here the costumes are made to make the artist look seductive and sexy, but at the same time domestic too with the used of iconography with the frying pan and spatula. The use of a lace garment shows the she is meant to look seductive, and show her sexiness as an artist despite being in a homely setting. This is conventional to a music video as it represents the artists style as an individual and it is also conventional as artists in pop videos always want to show a part of their skin to the audience, whether it being cleavage, arms, or in Britney's case her legs which makes her image look seductive yet very classy. It shows off her physic which is also conventional to a pop genre as the artist also always wants to include their personal style in the elements of their music. The costumes particularly create a relationship with the audience as they are able to relate to her as the clothing is realistic to a young woman, and also it represents women as being sexy and classy, and this makes the audience respect and look up to the artist as she isn't afraid to show off her assets.
The iconography of the frying pan and the spatula gives the artist a more domestic approach. It shows her cooking for her partner and performing at the same time. This is subverting the stereotypes of a pop genre as you do not usually see the artist being homely and welcoming, you usually see them dancing. Here we see the artist multi-tasking (again giving women a great image/perspective) which lets the audience create a better relationship with the artist as it more relasitc and the icongroahy shows that she is doing day-to-day activities like everybody else.


An editing style used here is fading. This is used so that the location of the music video can change locations. This is essential to the music video as it represents the artist's movements in life and shows that she is moving on from one subject to another. Also here editing makes us as the audience believe that by her fading in and out of different scenarios it could represent  feelings and emotions, and how they change throughout the day as she changes location, how she is constantly on the move and so are his emotions. It also could represent her changes in characters. As we see her characters change constantly throughout the music video, it could represent all the different people she believes she is as a music artist, or her different personalities and how they range from one extreme to another for her. This subverts the conventions of a pop genre as the audience see her from one setting to another and this allows the audience to possibly see the different places in Britney's life that she could possibly have been or even be inspired by and this shows an insight to the aritsts life too.

There are many techniqual elements which vary in many different genres of music videos an this is so that the genre is able to appeal more to different niche audiences. If all music videos had the same techniques and conventions it wouldn't be unique and therefore we would not have completely different genres we would only have one. But music videos appeal to different audiences depending on their interests, their likes and dislikes. Mis-en-scene has a very big impact on the music video as it can portray an artist's image and personality through colour, costume iconography and also body language. This is meant to capture the attention of the audience so that they are able to create a relationship with the artist. The genre has to be unique, conventional and realistic for the audience so they are able to relate to the audience and the music video. They need to experience escapism, where they are able to forget about their own problems and focus on the music within the video.

This has helped me a large amount with the planning of my music video and has given me an insight into what to include and what is seen in different music genres. As I am recreating Ellie Goulding's Indie/Dance song 'Burn' Flo Rida's dance video has given me ideas about Close-Ups and how they promote the artist, Mis-en-scene and how costume body language and colours are important to portray the artist in a positive light and how it must link with the narrative of the song and much more to do with editing styles etc. I have gained many different ideas and inspirations such as giving me an insight of the stereotypical genre conventions of both dance and indie and things especially such as mise-en-scene clothing and inspirations such as baggy clothing tight trousers nothing to revealing to show an innocent personality of the artist so that we convey the indie/pop genre completely. This shows me that I need to have some sort of narrative and also performance to show te diversity of the artist and how she can play both instruments and sing whilst also showing a more natural relationship. I have also gathered inspirations from cinematography such as camera angles like a lot of close ups of the artist so that the audience will be able to connect with her in many different ways and also see her closer than they may ever get to her.