Analysis of Little Mix’s Song ‘Black Magic'

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, telescopes) and particularly voyeuristic(sexual) treatment of the female body

6. There is often intertextual references (to films, TV programs, other music videos)7. Weather 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 do bouncing on the chairs at the end and slow walking 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 angel persona you can look at her but you cant touch. Jesy has colourful and experimental patterns on her clothes, which show she's the playful fun singer, however her bright lipstick gives you the impression she likes to stand out. Leigh-Anne has the most slimming outfit giving her a more sexy outfit because it fits ore to her body style. Jade is the more held back one she gives off a bit more of a nerdy 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 for Little Mix so they group have to show 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 back 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 means 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 to closed off, dull colures and covered up to more confident vibrant colures.“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 lad they like on screen. This also links to there visuals because their expressions look like they have a crush on him.

The instrument's change when they realises there solution is to use the magic to solve there problem so the music fits with there 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 should like when people march to drums which is what they are doing like they are more important now and the music amplifies this

There is a steady electric guitar when they are board in the class room 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 and to there's to become more popular and change there appearance. This has a reference to the witch programme such as Charmed. Charmed is a TV series that focus on three witches who use there magic to change the world around them and help people for the better. This has the same principal as the 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, such as hey both have a magic spell book as see 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 conscious about there appearance and when they fall over they look so see if anyone seen them fall, like they are embraced of themselves.

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

Also 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 there 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 of 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 there 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 lad they like but help the male who is being picked on, they are selective good and bad people.