Music videos

• Riptide will only ever appear as a set text in component 1 section a as a representation question
• Music videos in general could come up in a media language question but Riptide will only ever specifically be referenced in a representation question
• It could potentially be about the representation of relationships, but that's a bit of a stretch
• Representations in Riptide


  • Several different women and men are shown
  • Women are represented in an objectified and victimized manner
  • Use of high camera angles, terrified facial expressions, and dark lighting creates an atmosphere of fear and victimization
  • Long takes on the woman singing create an uncomfortable viewing experience
  • Quicker, faster-paced shots of women being tortured or tied up create a sense of horror
  • Women are sometimes represented as saving themselves, acting as their own heroes
  • Women are objectified and sexualized through shots focusing on their feet and legs
  • The woman singing is represented in a typical way in terms of beauty and glamour, but her makeup and expression suggest she has been assaulted
  • There are images of violence against women, which may trivialize the issue
• Representations of men in Riptide

  • Men are shown in relatively powerful positions, such as camera operators or directors
  • There are shots of men spying on or watching women
• The diverse representations in Riptide may be due to the indie/alternative genre of the music and the band's attempt to break into the American market
• Janelle Monae is a non-binary singer who uses a variety of pronouns including she/her and they/them
• Archive audio clip

  Suggests the issue being addressed has been ongoing for a long period of time
• Janelle Monae's costume

  • Old-fashioned, perhaps 1940s American military style, suggesting patriotism and nationalism, and that the issue has been ongoing
• Janelle Monae's costume and accessories


  Give her a sense of power and dominance within the image
• Young black girl with virtual reality headset


  • Suggests this is a futuristic setting where racism and discrimination have been abolished, and these issues can only be experienced through virtual reality
• Old vinyl record vs new technology

  Creates an old vs new opposition, suggesting the issues shown are more present day for the audience
• Archived black and white footage

  • Extracts from various historical civil rights events, protests, and marches
• Archived black history footage

  Contrasted with scenes of a positive, tight-knit black family in the future
• Lyrics: "I keep my hands dirty and my mind clean"


  Represents the singer as working class and actively protesting to create change
• Imagery of large crowds


  • Emphasises the scale and impact of the issues being addressed
• Imagery of police in riot gear and confrontations


  • Reflects the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement and issues of police brutality
• Imagery of people with fists raised


  • Iconic symbol of black power
• The themes of nationalistic issues are addressed when Janelle sings "America you are a lie" and statues are toppled
• Imagery of voting

  Suggests politics is a key issue being addressed
• Canted camera angles during the chorus


  Suggest chaos, disruption, and things about to turn
• Imagery of people smiling, laughing, dancing, marching together

  • Positive representations of community and pride
• Lyrics: "You [ __ ] up the kitchen you should do the dishes"


  Makes a political comment about issues like climate change and the responsibility of previous generations
• Diversity and inclusion of different backgrounds in the video

  • Reflects the artist's own cultural identity and the need for more inclusivity in media
• Imagery of real politicians like Stacey Abrams and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez


  • Suggests the artist's pro-Democrat political ideologies
• Metaphorical struggle of dragging the statue from the sea


  Represents the emotional and mental difficulties of the issues being addressed
• The music video was written as a song for an Amazon documentary called "All In: The Fight for Democracy" about voter suppression, particularly of black voters in the US
• The beach and wave sounds towards the end

  Add a sense of hope, peace, and freedom
• Use of close-ups and direct address

  • Help to represent the singer as powerful
• Making a video with such clear political stances can be controversial and risky for an artist, as it narrows their audience to more liberal, Democrat-leaning and minority viewers
• Some conservative, Republican audiences may be alienated by the anti-American ideologies expressed in the video
• Janelle Monae's own identity as a non-binary, black, pansexual/bisexual artist likely contributes to their passion for inclusivity and diversity in their work