Analysis of Little Mix’s song ‘Black Magic’By Kenya Bell

Andrew Goodwin's Theories1. Music Video demonstrates genre characteristics (e.g. Stage performance in metal

videos, dance routines for boy/girl band)2. There is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals (Either illustrative,

amplifying or contradicting)3. There is a relationship between the music and the visuals (Either illustrative,

amplifying or contradicting)4. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close-ups of the

artists and the artists may develop motifs which recur across their work. (e.g. A visual style)

5. There are frequent references of the notion of looking (screens within scenes and telescopes) and particularly voyeuristic (sexual) treatment of the female body.

6. There is often intertextual references (to films, TV programs and other music videos)

7. Whether the video is primarily performance based, narrative-based or concept- based and how elements are used in it.

Genre Conventions

Little Mix’s song is classed as a dance-pop genre, which means there should be dance routines involved in the video. However this video contradicts the genre because their video shows very little sign of a dance routine from the singers; they bounce on the chairs at the end and slow walk down the corridors. The video does, however, have everyone else dancing around them when it gets to the end of the video and they put a spell on everybody in the room.

Little Mix’s costumes are stereotypically linked to pop because they are vibrant, the costumes also represent Little Mix’s different personalities. Perrie is wearing all white, which gives her an angelic persona - you can look at her but you can’t touch her. Jesy has colourful and experimental patterns on her clothes, which shows she's the playful fun singer, however her bright lipstick gives you the impression that she likes to stand out. Leigh-Anne has the most slimming outfit, giving her a more sexy-look because it fits more comfortably to her body style. Jade is the more held back one as she gives off a bit more of a nerdy and quiet persona.

Genre ConventionsA main convention of the pop genre is the faces that the artists put on which show them to be happy, confident and enjoying themselves in the music video. Another convention is the lyrics, that are usually centred around relationships . Which this music video is exactly about a relationship that they want so much that they have to use magic to get it.

The target audience is teenagers who have an admiration for Little Mix, so the group have to show that they are unified so that teenagers can relate to the groups closeness, this is a common feature of pop to show that the group are joined and happy to be with each other.

Relationship Between Lyrics and Visuals

The lyric “And it's called black magic” is illustrated with the visuals, because in the visual they are surrounding a spell book with candles which is typically associated with ‘black magic’. They believe that black magic is their answer to their problem so they turn to it to give them what they need and want.

“Hey!” This lyric links with the visuals because they are waving, which symbolizes ‘hello’, and they are doing this to attract the attention of the man that is in the corridor, to announce their new change in style and confidence. They change their costumes from closed off, dull colours and covered up to more confident vibrant colours.

“Wanna know what it is make the boys want more!” the visuals show a man wanting the girls, showing them to be desirable. He is centrally framed but leaning to the right, showing that the girls have shocked him so much that he can’t remember to stand up straight.

Relationship Between Music and VisualsThe beat of the drum could link to the girls heart rates when they see the boy that they like on screen. This also links to their visuals because their expressions look like they have a crush on him.

The instrument's change when they realise there is a solution - to use the magic to solve their problem so the music fits with their slight glimpse of hope

They shoot magic from their hands on the beat of the drum. This shows the power and force they are using towards everyone.

Relationship Between Music and Visuals

They are walking down the corridor to drums that stereotypically symbolise people marching, which is what they are doing, presenting themselves in a light of importance now, and the music amplifies this.

There is a steady electric guitar when they are bored in the classroom to show how things are and how Little Mix change the scene for the better, when the beat then picks up again after they cast a spell.

Intertextual Referencing

During the video the girls get involved in magic to help themselves become more popular and change their appearance. This has a reference to the witch programme: ‘Charmed’. Charmed is a TV series that focus on three witches who use their magic to change the world around them and help people for the better. This has the same principle as Little Mix’s music video because Little Mix try to help the people who have not been noticed become noticed. The props in both the programme and music video are similar, for example, they both have a magic spell book, as seen above.

Are there Close-ups of the Artist and Star Image Motifs

There are several close ups on each member of Little Mix however they are a united group, which means that the close ups have to be limited because one person cannot be focused on more than the other because the fans want to see each one because different fans will have different favourites. Because of this there are more long shots of the full group, these show how well each of them work together. Even when there is a shot that continues round to each girl the other girls are still visible in the background, reminding people that they are individuals in a sense but they come as a package deal.

Is there References to the Notion of Looking?

There is a notion of looking when the girls are really self-conscious about their appearance and when they fall over they look so see if anyone have seen them fall, in order to maintain their dignity as they come across to be embarrassed of themselves.

Once Little Mix change their appearance the people in the hallways stare at the amazing change that they have went through.

Also, when they are standing and looking at the male that they are attracted to, they try to act casual about it but get really excited when they think he is waving at them, this makes the audience feel empathetic for them because they are struggling, but this also allows the young audience to relate to their situation.

Is the Video Category Illustration, Amplification or Contradicting? How much of each?

The video is nearly always illustrative, Little Mix have made sure that what they are singing about is shown on screen. However they must not have written it to be like this so their real meaning must be just keeping hold of a boy. There is contradiction within the video, because they sing about the boy belonging to them however they never actually end up with a male companion.The music is an amplification of the girls feelings because with the visuals at the beginning you would think they would be upset about their current status however the music remains positive and upbeat, giving the video a different meaning.The girls in the video contradict themselves because they become the bully towards the girl talking to the boy they like but help the male who is being picked on, they are selective good and bad people.