"Run Away With" Carly Rae Jepsen in Teenage Dream 2.0

I've only been halfway there with Carly Rae Jepsen's recent releases, but this is the one!

On Friday, Jepsen released her new single "Run Away With Me" to rampant praise by critics -- some referring to it as "Teenage Dream 2.0," with its youthful, dreamy call.

It's nowhere near the infection of "Call Me Maybe" but holds more broad appeal than lead single "I Really Like You" from upcoming album E.MO.TION.

The accompanying music video fittingly follows Jepsen journeying through Paris, New York, and Tokyo. Though the vid is fairly generic, it has its fun and is an enjoyable look, especially with a great deal of the footage being candid. Regarding the filming, even, Jepsen has commented, "I didn't even know we were making a music video until about halfway through it."

In all, the catchy pop tune is a sweet, fun, danceable summer jam. Check it out!

Kylie's vid goes "Into the Blue" but safely

Kylie Minogue released her music video for lead single "Into the Blue" a month and a half ago, and now, we are merely a day away from Kiss Me Once dropping. So, if you haven't seen this video or heard this uplifting song, rev up by giving it a shot.

Generally, the vid plays it safe and comes off as a generic video, especially for a empowering song that seems to have enough meaning behind it that images of people breaking through the ordinary or stifling come to mind at first listen. However, what we are given are beautiful segments of Kylie rolling in bed and flirting with a man who later chases her down to apparently make up with her: generic.

Costuming is pretty good throughout, but a gold dress Kylie wears in a party scene is given a rich texture that nearly ages the ever-girlish pop star. Otherwise, it actually is a killer outfit. The rich gold is also touched on other set pieces.

My only other notable observation about the music video is that the man who plays her onscreen romance makes small acting choices and seems to always take Kylie's lead in their scenes together (perhaps, he is intimidated and star-struck to be featured with the enduring Ms. Minogue). The song appears to be telling more his story than hers, as he goes 'into the blue' by finally taking the risk of initiative to chase Kylie to win her back. Perhaps, it is for his subtlety that he was chosen for this part -- to make his move to chase her more significant.

In all, though, the video is sexy, and the 45-year-old Kylie is still gorgeous in the accompaniment to the anthemic song. Plenty of beautiful pictures are made to appreciate a view.

Katy Perry's "Dark Horse" in Crunk Egypt

Released halfway through the single's run at #1 last month, the video for Katy Perry's "Dark Horse" has been met with controversy and praise -- more deserved praise than controversy, in my opinion, though controversy hardly hurts pop success.

The video sees Katy taking on the Cleopatra-inspired alter-ego Katy Pätra in ancient Memphis, Egypt, with modern influence from Memphis, Tennessee, a hail to featured rapper Juicy J's hometown. Katy welcomes suitors into her court but takes their gifts after disintegrating all of them.

The design of the video is ingenious, as well as accurate and well-researched in Egyptian and Cleopatra themes, according to scholars. The controversy rested on one suitor (who turns to dust at 1:15 in the vid) wearing a pendant with the Arabic word for "Allah." Some marked the fact that Katy destroys him as a sign of the pop star's opposition to God. A petition circled to have the video removed, leading to the pendant being digitally removed from the video.

Personally, I felt like the pendant was a brilliant move in the video's theme. It is common for gangsters to wear religious symbols around their neck, such as a cross, and to take it to an Egyptian theme, it makes sense for them to take on an Arabic symbol of Muslim deity. However, because art is interpretive (and some choose to interpret negatively; or perhaps, they miss the big picture), I feel the creators of the video handled the backlash well.

In any regard, the design is worth a look! It is sure to be an interest come music awards season -- or, at least, deserves to be.

       

Pharrell's 24 Hours of "Happy" Video

Pharrell William's "Happy" is spending its second week at #1, but have you seen its 24 hour music video? The online project claims to be the first long-form music video of its kind and consists of 4-minute uncut video segments of people dancing and jamming to the song. What time of day you log on determines what segment you'll get, though it allows you to select the time of day you wish to see or to jump to the next or previous portions. The website was added with the release of the single on November 21, 2013.

Several of those featured are obviously dancers, but a wide selection of people were chosen, including children and the minions from Despicable Me 2, which soundtrack featured the song. We follow these individuals through different parts of Los Angeles, such as sidewalks, a school bus, a church, a grocery store, Union Station, etc. Segments are divided by hidden cuts and are candid, with honest reactions from bystanders who sometimes decide to join in the fun.

A few celebrities are sighted in the video, including Whit Hertford (1:04 a.m.), Kelly Osbourne (1:28 a.m.), Magic Johnson (5:36 a.m.), Urijah Faber (8:36 a.m.), Sérgio Mendes (10:32 a.m.), Jimmy Kimmel (11:48 a.m.), Odd Future (1:48 p.m.), Steve Carell (5:08 p.m.), Jamie Foxx (5:28 p.m.), Ana Ortiz (5:32 p.m.), Miranda Cosgrove (5:40 p.m.), and Tyler, The Creator, and JoJo (6:16 p.m.). Pharrell appears every hour, on the hour.

The decision to make a 24 hour video for this song, in particular, is genius! It is my opinion that a good music video (or remix) adds to or reinterprets the meaning of the song, and this vid does just that. I thought the idea of a 24 hour video was cool, but it wasn't until I saw the segments of grocery shopping -- people doing what people need to do -- that I understood the intention behind it that no matter what time of day it is, no matter what you have to do in life, you can be happy -- you can choose to be happy and make life happy. Don't let things bring you down. Isn't happiness the point of life and everything we do? If not, then why are we striving for anything? Living mundane, or below par, will not save us. "Happiness is the truth," and we shouldn't let barriers get in our way of obtaining that. In all, the joyful video succeeds to bring out the "Happy."

The lengthy vid was edited down to create the official video, of course. The Oscar-nominated "Happy" acts as lead single to Pharrell's new album G I R L, released Monday, March 3.

See what's going on at your time of day and get some "Happy" at 24hoursofhappy.com.

New Music Video: Lady Gaga's "Applause"

The music video for Lady Gaga's "Applause" dropped yesterday, premiering on Good Morning, America and posted to the star's VEVO channel. Gaga's vocals on the single have been compared to Gaga's influences Annie Lennox and David Bowie, and the vid certainly pulls from Gaga influences to make it a very Gaga-esque release. Obviously, with an album titled ARTPOP, she draws fashion from Andy Warhol and the New York art scene. The vid is shot in black-and-white and color and samples costume fashions that are very Gaga, featuring parts-covering leather gloves and a segment inspired from Botticelli's The Birth of Venus. Of the video Gaga tweeted, "Its inspired by the entertainers passion for shapeshifting. Would you do 'anything' for the Applause? Iconography in motion, as magic."

Indeed, every portion of the clip displays performative and theatrical icons, such as a large top hat and theatre-quality costumes, sets, and makeup (as opposed to refined, natural design for film), and Gaga parades a fashion and performance (even as a swan) reflective of how she will do anything for the 'applause' no matter how, in my opinion, dark and freak show-like the performance. The vid isn't full-out freak show, but its darkness recalls that sort of theme for me. Perhaps, art house is a better description.

Honestly, the music video does its job, enhancing the meaning of the music. When I first heard "Applause," I was concerned by its production and Gaga's Bowie-throwback style, but her vision comes together in full through the video, giving us another Gaga classic!

             

Music Video Monday: "Slow Down" by Selena Gomez

The music video for Selena Gomez's latest promo single "Slow Down" from Stars Dance dropped a week and a half ago on July 19th. Shot in Paris, France, the video features Selena in the backseat of a classic Mercedes-Benz, on wet streets, and in a neon-lit club while wearing elegant, low-cut, and naval-revealing outfits, which, despite her album's signaled move to adulthood, recalls Britney Spears five years Selena's junior. The video calls on Selena's fun side, and in the second half, she breaks down with dancers to a choreographed segment.

The track is a smart choice for the follow-up single to the massive success of "Come and Get It," leading us with the opening line, "Now that I have captured your attention." It's a fine music video meant nothing more than to display the non-scandaled  Gomez in a classy pop light of having fun.

I have somewhat of a soapbox! In reaction to my own comparison to Miss Spears and other critics' remarks of Stars Dance and Selena's "supposed" move to being grown-up, I say that no one said grown-up meant raunched-up. (Or did they? "Grown-ups" are supposed to be raunchy? Why do we do this to pop stars?) It's true that mature social criticisms and mature life experiences in songs can help signify this adulthood move. But why can't (early) adulthood be fun, also, even without raunchiness? (Don't get me wrong. Stars Dance does have its flirts.) Adults have clean yet exciting fun, too. As it is, this video displays the baby-faced, now legal-to-drink Selena dancing in a club and sporting in a snazzy ride--sounds like an adult to me. It's modest compared to some of her counterparts, but please! Let the young woman grow up at her own rate. She's only twenty-one. Let her be twenty-one and find her way from there. She and other stars are not puppets on display whose lives are sprawled out just for us little people's entertainment. Let her be the real girl she is.

Music Video Monday: "Turn Up the Radio" by Madonna

Nearly a month ago, Madonna Youtube released her latest music video for her single "Turn Up the Radio," which debuted a week ago. Surprisingly, the vid hasn't received a whole lot of attention, only garnering 4.5 million views as of today. Or is it not surprising?

For one, it premiered on her VEVO channel, which only has one-sixth the amount of subscribers as her official channel that houses ALL her other music videos, even her other two from album MDNA. Perhaps, she is trying to move to VEVO, since her own channel is flooded with uploads from highlights from her tour. Madonna isn't the only artist to do this in their return to music during the VEVO-era. Fellow pop-mogul Kylie Minogue has a library as large as Madonna, but only her two most recent videos are housed on her VEVO, while she uses her own channel for tour and other promotional highlights.

Further, it was released three weeks before its availability as a single. A bit hasty? Perhaps. Also, the vid seems to have had little promotion is other spheres. This may be that her company is busy with her world tour. Who knows?

Maybe it's the video itself. It doesn't flow into the extraordinary or the exceptionally exciting. It's a simple video, which isn't a bad thing if it's charming enough to keep people's attention, though even Madonna seems bored in it. Thanks to the filters of soft-focus lenses used throughout, Madonna looks half her 54-year age. The vintage look seems more like a fallback on the popularity of Instagram, though. Madonna has had an eye for trends, so this use is not surprising, even if it follows a similar move by Minogue (again) in her use of sepia tone for parts of her "Timebomb" video released a month prior to the filming of "Turn Up the Radio."

Basically, the video consists of Madonna fleeing Italian press and fans with her chaffeur, while picking up a few characters along the way, including her twenty-five-year-old boyfriend French dancer Brahim Zaibat (he's about my age...puts their relationship into perspective for me...weird...). Yep, that's about it. The vid's nothing more or less than that. In all, it is a fun video for a positive song that seems to have been a better choice for a lead single and Super Bowl headliner than "Give Me All Your Luvin'," but apparently, Madonna had hoped to capitalize on the stardom of collaborators Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. at the time.

No idea why "(Explicit)" is included in the title when there is nothing "explicit" in the video and there is no "clean" version to compare it to. Anyway, check it out. It's a fine vid.

Katy Perry "Wide Awake" on Dance/Club Play

Katy Perry achieves her tenth #1 (in a row) on Billboard's Dance/Club Play Songs Chart with "Wide Awake" on the song's eighth charting week. Congrats to her! This is her ninth run atop the chart from Teenage Dream. The pop princess's first #1 was One of the Boy's "Waking Up In Vegas" in 2009. "Wide Awake" also remains #3 on the Hot 100 and has been announced as the last release from her Teenage Dream era, as reviewed in its incredibly vivid music video that explores the journey of her dream for worldwide pop success all the way to her divorce from Russell Brand.

The top spot will likely be taken by fellow pop princess Aussie Kylie Minogue with "Timebomb" next week.

The "Wide Awake" video is wrought with symbolism. Videos like it are candy for me. Personally, I can't help but feel some Madonna influence in the song's production and video. The melody and lyrics are very Perry, though. The production is consistent with the rest of Teenage Dream, but, perhaps, it is the echoing synths that recalls Madonna for me. As for the video, part of me (heh heh) can't help but be reminded of Madonna's "Bedtime Story" and "Frozen." The Pop Queen's influence would not be surprising, since Perry has announced Madonna as one of her idols.

On another note, I recently watched Madonna's vid for "Open Your Heart" and felt like I could see Perry doing something similar. Does anyone else feel that?