TEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF TAYLOR SWIFTS MUSIC VIDEO- "BAD BLOOD"

Whilst analysing Taylor Swift's Bad Blood music video, we noted the way Andrew Godwin's conventions of a music video could be applied. For example, as soon as the music video begins, there is a close up of Taylor Swift, followed by her character name “Catastrophe” on screen, thus allowing the audience to have an immediate insight into the narrative aspect of the music video. Furthermore, this has an intertextual reference as it would remind the audience of an opening credit from the action thriller film “X-Men”. In addition, another music video convention is displayed as voyeurism used when Selena Gomez looks in the mirror, showing the audience another point of view of a character in the music video.

The music video’s name slides on screen as the beat drops, which fulfils another key music video convention as it is presenting a relationship between the lyrics and the video. Moreover, the title of the video “Bad Blood” is the colour red and thus it has a thriller connotation, remind the audience of films such as ‘Kick Ass’ and ‘Pulp Fiction”. Moreover, this shot also presents Taylor Swift lying on the car in a suggestive manner which emphasises her body parts to the audience, which follows the music video convention of voyeurism. This is the idea that women have to be sexualised in music videos in order to draw the audience’s attention, thus allowing the music video to be a success. In contrast, Kendrick Lamar is shot via a medium close up and thus he isn’t viewed sexually in anyway. This persona that men and women artists have to betray in music videos is reinforced by the camera being used from a male point of view, for example; slow motion and panning is used when the camera tracks Taylor Swift lying down, thus unnecessarily sexualising her.

Furthermore, there are multiple of examples of the “Bad Blood” music video conforming to the convention of the visuals on screen reflect the lyrics of the song, for example one character in the video punches the wall on the drum beat in the song, thus allowing the performance aspect and the novel aspect of the music video to intertwine. Another example is when two charcters are having a sword fight to the beat of the song.

 As the music video continues, there is a conspicuous use of of close ups to sell the artist to the audience, which presents the artist in a sexual manner. Nonetheless, there is a wide shot of 7 female characters walking together with an explosion in the background. This conforms to the convention of intertextual reference, as it will remind the audience of thriller films such as “Charlie’s Angles” and ‘The magnificent 7”. Furthermore, the wide shot presents the idea to the audience that the group of females are a gang as this shot shows female strength and unity.

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In conclusion, the Bad Blood music videos conforms to Andrew Godwin’s conventions of a music video. This allows a narrative to be told, which in this case is Taylor trying to get revenge on someone that has betrayed them, which mainly is shown during the verse of the song. Whilst also allows a performance to be displayed by the artist, which is mainly shown during the chorus.