MUSIC VIDEO WEEK!
In which I discuss the Clementine video and other music videos that I love
Hey pals -
Cool news if you haven’t heard: Clementine music video is out!!
Starring my buddies of 15+ years, Kamaile & Laurel. I’m so appreciative towards them, Joey, and Jack for making this happen. I’ve never directed a music video before and it was a scary challenge. We filmed the whole thing in ~5 hours at the Metal Shop Theater, where Laurel and Kamaile did middle school drama. So that was a sweet full circle moment.
I loveeee music videos. I mean, who doesn’t. So I thought that while I have you here, I would briefly chat about a few of my faves - old and new.
I don’t really have the words for how beautiful this video is. Its visual world manages to capture and elevate the quiet intensity of one of the most heart-breaking songs ever written (imo). Not an easy task. It’s so beautiful, strange, unsettling, & sexy - it’s so her. There’s nothing like it.
Dir. Andrew Thomas Huang OKAY this is kind of cheating bc this is a damn visual ALBUM not a singular video but like… I couldn’t not list it. Lemonade changed EVERYTHING. I’ll never forget watching the bootleg version for the first time on a random German person’s Facebook account. I was gagged. She collectively gagged all of us. Legend.
Simz wins the coolest person ever award for this video alone. It’s just so effortless. The last shot of her surrounded by headless suits has always stuck with me -
I just love it.
so simple yet so sick… Ok this one is quite recent, so who knows if it will stand the test of time, but - damn! The budget for this video is insaneee. It’s unbelievably fun and jam-packed with different fits and animals and gags - each snippet could be an entire movie. That shot of all the horses running in the water ?? incredible.
Here I am cheating yet again with another visual album. This project firmly cemented Tierra Whack as one of the best and most creative rappers of all time in my book. Each minute-long song transports you into its own little universe. She’s so odd and funny. Need a Tierra Whack feature film STAT.
Telephone - Lady Gaga ft. Beyoncé
This video has gone platinum in every gay person’s house. There’s really nothing more I need to say about it.
I think this video might actually win coolest music video at Giulia’s music video awards. It even made Jay-Z look cool post-cheating-on-Beyoncé-gate. An impressive feat. Renting out and dancing around the LOUVRE?? Aka an establishment that upholds the long-lasting effects of imperialism in art, that probably has like 3 total paintings of non-white people? Sorry but that’s a huge flex. Maybe it’s a bit trite of me to applaud such an extravagant flaunting of wealth. But I do think this video is beautiful and extremely fucking cool. (3rd time Beyoncé shows up on this list.. and that’s me showing restraint!)
Honorable mentions:
Michael Jackson - Bad (this was directed by Martin Scorsese btw…)
FKA Twigs - Sad Day (she learned to sword fight for this)
Just remember everyone: time isn't holding up. Time isn't after us. Same as it ever was - same as it ever was.
Thanks for reading, and Happy Juneteenth!
xoxo Giulia