RESEARCH; Music video Deconstructions

Andrew Goodwin Theory

Goodwin identifies 5 aspects that are key in the production of a music video, and that an audience should look out for;

-Thought beats - Seeing the sound

-Narrative and Performance

-The Star Image

-Relation of Visuals to song

-Technical Aspects of Music Video

Thought Beats

First step: Is looking at the music itself, taking in to account the structure of the song; - chorus/ verses


Nicole Scherzinger - Don't hold your breath

The shot starts off with Scherzinger in a taxi getting changed from a man’s shirt to a black tank top. This is a connotation of removing a partner from her life and changing into a more powerful, mysterious being. The colour switch of pale blue to black shows she is taking control and a ‘good girl turned bad’ theme is emerging. This links the lyrics straight away. ‘You can’t touch me now, there’s no feeling left’. The rain on the window creates a unhappy feel to the scene and resembles tears, which would be associated with breaking up with a partner. Her looking back over her shoulder is edited with the music just as the lyrics ‘Don’t hold your breath’ are played. This gives a clear idea of what the artist is thinking. Her lip-syncing is done where she is looking out the car window which connotes that she is reflecting back on the relationship, this is parallel to what the lyrics are suggesting. When the chorus kicks in the scene changes to her under a mesh sheet, which suggests she is hiding. And then she is in a big dark house. To the audience the house looks quite menacing however, Scherzinger is walking through it with no fear. This connotes that she is not scared like the audience are made to feel, and makes her look powerful. Although it does suggest that the partner she has left is more menacing than the house. The shots are very short, and there are many of them all from different angles. They are specifically edited to the beat of the music. The overflowing sink links directly back to the lyrics. The water in contrast to ‘Don’t hold your breath’. Another thing it could connote is that the relationship overflowed as being a key reason why it ended. The shots of her in the mirror again make her look powerful and serious, all adding to the effect. Out the window you can see flashes of lightning which is a natural powerful force. This could suggest that she has now grown powerful away from her partner however also could make her look vulnerable. When the chorus comes back again she is starting to smile and look more comfortable in her surroundings and is looking at the camera, this suggests confidence which she didn’t have at the beginning of this video. The shots of her with wind going through her hair, makes her look commanding and when the song becomes more energetic, she is jumping around. Through the whole music video Scherzinger is going through a transformation of vulnerable to powerful.

The voice of the song (Nicole Scherzinger), she has been praised for her strong vocals and conviction to convey emotion. She is known for a sexual voice that attracts male fans, however, this song in particular is aimed more at females. Goodwin believed songs could be shown as stories, and the artist is the story teller. The music video should be the visuals of the song, so the audience is told the story through two communication methods. Sight and sound.

The song 'Don't hold your breath' is about a woman running away from a partner and deciding that she is not going back to him, therefore telling him not to hold his breath until she returns. The visuals are portraying the artist, leaving somewhere, looking vulnerable. As the music video continues, with the use of camera angles, she is looking much more powerful.


The Star Image, this is when looking at an artist and remembering something about them. This is their brand. There are many different ways of create a brand; Michael Jackson was well known for his dancing skills however later in to his life was known for the extremities of  the plastic surgery he underwent. The Beatles were known for all having big hairstyles. Nicole Scherzinger is known for her attractiveness and Filipino, Hawaiian and Russian ethnicity. She is also known for her sexual suggestive lyrics, however this is not portrayed in the lyrics of the song I am deconstructing. The relations between visuals and the lyrics are very close parallels, the interpretation is very close to what the lyrics mean. Other than the lighting in the video, it seems quite natural and not too much technical detail which I think is good in the concept of keeping it relatable for the audience. 

The next music video I am going to deconstruct is 'Party in the USA' by Miley Cyrus