Critical Investigation Task #1: Textual Analysis

AOA - Like a Cat (Primary Text)

The music video begins with a parody of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios' lion that appears in hollywood films an television programs, making the audience anticipate a film like music video. The intro before the song starts establishes the setting of a bank where a diamond is kept safely in a locked cabinet, placed in a locked safe. As well as the settings, some of the characters are revealed, however their is no distinction as to what role (Propp) they play. The close up on the girl who at first seemed irrelevant due to her being considered as an unimportant secretary,  creates an enigma code as the audience question what significance she will have to the story. When the music starts, all the members of the group are shown wearing a red leather jacket/raincoat with knee high boots. This costume hints at the audience that the girls are spies on a mission. There black costumes have connotations of them being the villains in the story and this is further this is confirmed when all the girls are performing several tasks such as stealing the banker's phone, creeping into the security room and sneaking into the bankers house. The slow motion shots enhances their seductive behaviour which is very attractive to fans. The fact that it is girls who are performing such villainous actions subverts the norm perception of men always being the villains. However their tight, body hugging clothes dismisses their unexpected roles as the audience would be focusing more on their appearances rather than their impressive skills as robbers. Also, as the girls are constantly shown playing a game (which may be included for product placement), there are possibilities that it gives a negative outlook on their mission as it shows them being distracted. It can be interpreted that they find the mission so easy that they have time to play their game.When the song comes to its closure, the girl are shown to beat up the bankers and the guards by hitting them and punching them with guns. This may hint at women being more powerful by men and having the ability to overcome them. The song ends with the group getting the diamond showing the narrative structure (Todorov) of a new equilibrium with the diamond.

Nicki Minaj - Starships (Secondary text)

The music video begins with a space ship hovering over an island that seems to be cut of from society as the inhabitants' clothing seems to be very limited as well as there being extensive natural imagery of waterfalls, mountains and forests. With this, a binary opposition is introduced as the space ship connotes new and advanced technologies however the people on the island connote old and traditional lifestyles. When Nicki Minaj gets of the ship her clothing is limited similarly to the island people as she is only wearing a bikini but in comparison to the island people, her clothing is a lot more striking which may connote that her advancements as a being from space or it may also imply that she has become their leader, especially when she is carried around by the men like royalty. The constant close up shots of Minaj's body that is edited to be slow motion often, may introduce a strong male gaze due to Nicki Minaj's sensual and erotic movements. As the music video progresses, there is much more editing and effects used which connotes technological advancements which, once again, is a strong contrast to the initial setting and atmosphere.

Other texts

WASSUP - Wa$$up

The setting of the music video is in a basketball court throughout the video except for the short change in scene to a dark alley with a car for the rap part of the song. The setting of the song may have been chosen as basketball is a sport that is stereotypically associated with back people similarly to the twerking concept. The clothing that both the male actors are wearing the typical clothes worn when playing basketball and the female singers are wearing very revealing clothes that accentuate their body shapes in particular their posterior so their dance moves can be viewed provocatively. In addition to their costume, some of the members are shown to have quite dark skin due to having a tan which is quite contrasting from Korean beauty standards. In south Korea, people commonly believe that having white porcelain skin defines beauty whereas in western countries, having brown tanned skin is better than being paler, proving the western influences in the music video. There are several shots edited together which create a fast pace that matches the upbeat tempo of the song. As well as the conventional close ups of the singer's faces, there are also many close-up shots used of the group members' rears to convey their twerking concept to the audiences. There are also animations of mens' eyes oggoling at the members dancing, showing their sexualised choreography as well as lightening the atmosphere through comedy.