I first have to address two things about the title of this post. I guess when they put up collaborations, then they simply insert a comma. That isn’t confusing at all. It is made worse by the fact that this is another one of these songs “featuring” another artist. It would make so much more sense to the viewer if they just put the artists involved in a list separated by ampersands with the primary one listed first. I know it has to do with stuff going on in the background between the record companies, but it doesn’t help the person watching the music video.
This is the third music video I’ve looked at so far from 2016. I’m already sensing a pattern when it comes to recent female artists. It’s nice to know that the influence of Bonnie Tyler’s music videos is still alive 30+ years later even if it has been filtered and diluted through so many other artists. At least it’s her music videos that I think of when I see a female artist singing about sexuality in a video like this one.
I know nothing about any of the three artists involved, but regardless, was it too much to ask to have this be a remake of Faster Than The Speed Of Night? I wanna see the members of Grey in armor on motorcycles while dueling with javelins, Zedd in a speedo whipping a guitar around himself, and cutaways to Steinfeld singing. Just a group of topless male dancers in a warehouse showing up while I wonder if I really should be watching a 19 year-old doing and singing those things just doesn’t cut it. At the very least they could have had supernatural cowboys in black with neon fire-whips come after her till this person she once tasted shows up to rescue her from blending into the background. I miss 80’s music videos already.
I can’t say I am happy that trying to look sexy is being equated with maturity in this and Side By Side by Ariana Grande. I understand that they are both at that age and that it’s nothing really new, but it undercuts the music, which is unfortunate. Then again, there isn’t much music here to undercut. I may not like Grande’s music now, but she seems like she has untapped potential.
I hate to say it, but the Music Video Sins episode on this one pretty much nailed it. I’m glad I watched it. I had no idea those random cutaways to the guys waiting to give Hailee a ride home were the members of Grey. I was also unaware that there were five writers on this song, yet this is what they came up with for Steinfeld to sing. Also, if you didn’t know you were starving till you “tasted” someone, then why are they showing you blending into the background? That kind of clashes with the coming-of-age message.
At the end of the day, this is harmless and instantly forgettable. If you told me this was a number done on Dancing With The Stars that was adapted into a music video shot on a shoestring budget, then I would believe you.
Darren Craig appears to be a relatively new director whereas Director X and Hannah Lux Davis have been doing this for awhile.
I have three more to go. I hope they get better.
6 from 2016:
Through the Shattered Lens 