Music Video Analysis - 'Ariana Grande - Almost Is Never Enough'

The four microelements are used to conform to the codes and conventions of a pop music video. This is evident with the content and style of the video as it fits the expectations you would have before seeing the music video.

Editing is evident throughout the music video to separate the narrative from performance as there are jump cuts between Ariana Grande singing and short clips of the film being advertised. This connotes that the song is promoting the film and may have been written primarily for the film. Jump cuts are also evident when Nathan Sykes turns up which connotes that the performance and narrative are linked as a couple are being used to sing the song. This fits in with Andrew Goodwin’s theory of intertextual references, as there is an intertextual reference to a film within this music video, which connotes that the audience will be able to make the link and may become interested in the film due to the music video.

Mise-en-scene is used to subvert to how women are usually represented within music videos. An example of this is that throughout the video Ariana Grande is wearing white, this colour connotes purity and innocence, which is the opposite to how women are usually portrayed in music videos. Women are usually sexualized and seen with very provocative clothing. Whereas in this music video the women are denoted as themselves in respectable clothing. Also Ariana Grande looks very glamorous with her hair and makeup, which would appeal to the male audience ad it fits in with the Male Gaze theory (Mulvey). This denotes the counter hegemonic view of women, as they are rarely seen/portrayed positively in music videos.

Sound is synchronous with the footage throughout the video, which makes the music video more affective as the audience is able to keep up with the music video easier. An example of this is at the start the music is very slow and the footage is at the same pace, which connotes that the video will most likely stay at this pace, as the song seems to be very slow. This fits in with Andrew Goodwin’s theory of a relationship between visuals and music, as they are synchronous with each other.

Camera shots/angles are used within this music video to denote the different relationships. The shot Pans from right to left denoting Adriana Grande and Nathan Sykes meeting each other hugging. This connotes that the music video is primarily based around relationships and romance as the song is slow and romantic which fits with the footage. There is also a close up of Ariana smiling to connote that she is happy with her life at the moment and that she’s enjoying herself. This fits in with the Blummer and Katz theory of diversion as it would allow people to escape almost into this perfect world of love and happiness also with there being an intertextual reference they may decide ot watch the film suggesting that they are an active audience.

Overall, the four micro-elements have been used to subvert and partially conform to the stereotype of a pop music video as it fits a few of the codes and conventions. The micro- elements represent Ariana Grande Positively which subverts to the normal stereotype of a music video as they are usually represented badly.