My chosen track for my music video is Grace Kelly by MIKA. Initially released as a single in 2007 through Island Records and Casablanca Records, it reached the top of the UK Singles Chart, propelling MIKA to success and garnering him critical acclaim. It became the first song on his debut album, Life In Cartoon Motion, released later that year.
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The Bright and colourful Single Cover
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Interestingly, the song was written out of frustration after MIKA had a bad experience with a record label trying to change his sound to fit the common pop mould. MIKA rejected this suggestion and wrote the song to express his individuality, and in it he points out that he could pretend to be anyone he likes in order to win approval, but chooses not to in order to maintain integrity to his voice and art.
The music video is also an interesting case study, as it is quite in disjuncture with the lyrics and music. The song itself is bright, colourful and full of energy and "oomph", and the editing style matches this, with whip pans, fast transitions and quick dollies and zooms. However, the locations, costume and general mise-en-scene contrast with the song's colourful lyrics, being quite drab and run-down.
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Still from the official music video
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This is one of the reasons I chose this song, as I had quite a strong idea for an interpretation of it that contrasted greatly with the existing music video. I also chose it because MIKA's big personality and character really shone through and attracted me, and I enjoyed the challenge of pulling off that big character (albeit, again, my own interpretation of it) in my performance.
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