Goodwin's theory

Andrew Goodwin indentified key characteristics and features that can be found in a music video:

§  A relationship between visuals illustrating, amplifying or contradicting the lyrics.

§  A relationship between the music and the visuals.

§  Genres have their own music video style and iconography

§  There is likely to be voyeurism, particularly in the treatment of women

§  Record company demands e.g. close-ups of the artist

§  Intertextuality

I’m going to apply Goodwin’s theory to Iggy Azalea – 'Change Your Life':

-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rre0sFHlfBc

Genre characteristics

The bright colours, dancing and lighting all suggest this is of the dance-pop genre. It switches from day to night as the song progresses. During the chorus Iggy performs a dance routine along with backing dancers; typical convention of a music video of this genre. Clothing worn by Iggy herself and her dancers also indicate the genre as normally women wear little to no clothing.

Lyrics & visuals

Whilst singing about the finer things in life, Iggy is sat on a huge bed surrounded by expensive ornaments. This ties the lyrics together with the visual of the music video.

Record company

When creating a music video the director is given direction from the record company. They normally ask for the artist to be the main focus of the video and have loads of close-ups which is exactly what’s happens in ‘Change Your Life’. Iggy Azalea is in 90% of the shots.

Music & visuals

The music video is a mixture of Iggy lip syncing and dancing. The cuts between shots in the music video go faster and more frequently as the music goes to the chorus and the upbeat tempo to go with the music. The dancing goes in time with the music e.g. at one point the backing dancer kick their legs to the beat of the song.

Voyeurism 

Like the majority of videos in the past few years women are sexualised; this is no different in 'Change Your Life'. From the start Iggy is in little clothing (small bikini), as the video progresses other women are seen in underwear. In the explicit version of the video Iggy poses topless whilst coming out of the pool.

Intertextuality

At the start of the ‘Change Your Life’ music video when the music begins to play text appears over a shot of a swimming pool. The first set of text indicates to the audience the artist – Iggy Azalea. This is followed by the name of the song. Both of the texts are in white to stay consistent but the fonts are different.