Saturday, June 30, 2018

Mitski's "Nobody" Music Video Explained

I'm a huge fan of Mitski ever since I discovered her when she was the opener for the Lorde Concert (Melodrama Tour). My favorite Mitski songs include, "Your Best American Girl," "Townie," and "First Love / Late Spring." Mitski recently released a new music video for her new song called, "Nobody." I think it's a very well-thought out video with a lot of creativity and symbolism so I wanted to analyze it.

Mitski's "Nobody", Music Video Meaning and Interpretation

The main theme of the song and of the music video is loneliness

The Beginning Scene References The Ending Scene

Nobody Mitski on a date with herself
Mitski on a date with herself

In the beginning, you see two Mitskis drinking a milkshake with each other. It is framed like Mitski is going on a date with herself. The main conclusion Mitski reaches towards the ending of the video is that though she thinks she has "nobody," she actually has herself. That is why at the ending, you see the words "You," the same way, "Nobody" was listed. In the picture above, the two Mitskis are looking in each others eyes and drinking from the same glass so it is an intimate feeling. Instead of lamenting on her loneliness, the music video tells Mitski that she should spend some time with herself and get to know herself better. 



The hourglass shape of the milkshake glass is also important. I believe it is alluding to how the music video is distorting time. I believe the beginning scene actually takes place AFTER the ending scene. The scene pictured above happens AFTER Mitski discovers the words, "You," on her hand, effectively teaching her that she should spend time with herself.  

Mitski Nobody magnifying glass
Mitski doesn't have nobody - she has herself!


No Faces Means No Connection

Mitski Nobody Faces
Faces are scribbled out because Mitski can't connect with other humans
No one in the music video has faces. The sitcom is shot below the neck. The waiters of the restaurant are also only seen dancing with their legs and torso. I believe Mitski not being able to see faces is symbolic of her not being able to connect with anyone. She wishes she could. If you notice her breakfast, she has arranged it in the shape of a smile because that is how much she wants that connection. 
Mitski Nobody Breakfast
The only other face in the music video


I believe watching TV is a way to get some easy, quick, but fake, connection. You see other humans on the screen who might have similar emotions and struggles as you. But it's not as real as actual human beings in real life so that's why the tv humans still don't have a face.


The World Isn't Able To Connect With Her Either

Mitski may not be to connect with others, but others aren't able to connect with her either. That is why she receives a painting of her without her face. That's how other people see her. Maybe she can't open up and show who she really is to other people. Since other people can't connect with her, they can't see her face. The arms that pop out of the wall may symbolize her self-sabotage. The arms try to rip out her face even more. Maybe Eugene Farley, the person who created the painting, wanted to connect with her. That is why he drew her. But he just couldn't draw her face because she didn't show herself fully to him. Mitski is happy someone kind of understands her enough to draw some of her so that's why she hangs the painting up with glee. 

When the arms rip out the painting, Mitski looks into the hole and sees a woman who she calls out for. I don't really understand the purpose of this woman. Maybe that woman is supposed to help her understand herself. She doesn't have black hair but you can see some black roots. Maybe this woman is Mitski in disguise. Maybe it is who Mitski is pretending to be instead of showing her real self. 

Mitski Nobody


After the painting rips, Mitski wants to call the artist. I think she does this because she wants the painting fixed or a duplicate. She wants the item that represents that at least someone understands her back. Maybe she calls Eugine so that he can tell her who she is. It doesn't go so well. The person who opens the door has Mitski's face but then it immediately gets erased. Maybe this symbolizes someone understanding her briefly and then just not being able to anymore.

Painting Mitski Is Dressed Like The Sitcom Characters


I love the attention to detail in this music video!! Mitski in the painting has the same green necklace and shirt as the lady in the sitcom!! Maybe this symbolizes Mitski trying to connect with the sitcom characters and being overly influenced by them instead. Mitski may be portraying a fake persona to the public. This fake persona is created by what she sees on TV and the media. Mitski still can't figure out who she really is on the inside. 

The Universe Gets In Her Way In Her Quest To Escape Loneliness 

The main premise of the music video is that Mitski is trying to escape her loneliness but the world prevents her from doing so. When she wakes up, half her bed runs away from her. The world is preventing her from sharing her bed with any one else. She is just supposed to be alone. Also, why is there an orange on her bed? Does anyone know the symbolism of the orange?



The world doesn't want her to connect. She can't dial the phone number to call Eugene. She can't read the mail she receives.

Another obstacle she faces is when she tries to read her diary. In order to read it, more and more cryptic clues come up. Eventually, she solves the puzzle. The "Nobody," turns into the, "You." She needs to stop focusing on how she has "nobody," and instead focus on what she does have - herself.

An inspiring message of self-love. 

What do you think Mitski's "Nobody," music video means? Let me know in the comments!! Also, what's up with the orange?!?!?!


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Saturday, June 23, 2018

Everything Wrong With Drake's "I'm Upset"



Don't get me wrong - I like Drake. I even like this song A LITTLE BIT, though I don't like to admit it. It's got a good beat and when Drake says, "Fifty thousand on my head, it's disrespect", I felt that. I felt that due to my own pretty enemies, and just life tryna get me down. But I have A LOT of problems with this song so let's get started.

1) Am I Supposed To Feel Sorry That Drake Has To Pay Child Support?

Drake spends most of this song complaining that he got a woman pregnant and now has to pay child support. I mean that's on him. Rappers sing about having sex with women all the time - they make it sound so cool and fun but there are ALWAYS risks. Now that a negative consequence of sex has popped up, Drake puts all the blame on the woman when it is his fault too. "I'ma always take the money over sex," - untrue, Drake. If you really care about not having to pay child support, you would have been more careful when having sex.

I don't feel sorry for Drake. He has a lot of money and he can easily take care of his child and the mother of his baby. Does Drake really want to be a deadbeat father? He raps, "My dad still got child support from 1991." He KNOWS how it feels to be cast aside by his own father. He's seen his mom be a single mother and struggle. So why is he trying to continue the cycle and leave his child in the dust? Why is he releasing a song where he sincerely says he doesn't care about his child or his child's mother. Imagine the child listening to this song when he grows up. Drake could have handled this situation in a mature manner.



2) Drake's Very Own, "I'm Not Racist, I Have Black Friends"

You know how racist people sometimes try to prove they are not racist by saying, "I'm not racist, I have black friends?" Drake does something very similar here. He raps, "Thankful for the women that I know/Can't go fifty-fifty with no ho." First he says, "guys, I'm not sexist, I care about some women!! But this one is just a hoe." Just because Drake respects a couple of women in his life, like his mom, doesn't mean he is down for the cause. He is still shaming a woman for having sex. HE IS SHAMING A WOMAN HE WANTED TO HAVE SEX WITH FOR HAVING SEX WITH HIM. It's WILD. Calling women hoes and sluts for having sex is harmful to society because it doesn't allow for women's sexual freedom, it's paints women as sex objects, it supports rape culture. 

3) Drake cares a lot about how much his ransom is?

This is just something I thought was funny. Drake imagines having a hit out on him for "50,000," "100,000," and, "500,000." He finds the 50K and 100K amounts INSULTING. What I find interesting is he is more insulted by the money amounts than the idea that someone wants to kill him. But then at 500,000 he says, "Half a million on my head I can(?) accept, at least it makes me feel like someone tried their best." Now, I can't make out if he says can or can't. He needs to enunciate better. I've always seen it as, "can," because the next sentence explains why he "can" accept it. I just think it is HILARIOUS how touched Drake is that someone would try to kill him for 500K. It makes him feel that someone really cares about him 😊.



4) Using Degrassi To Make This Dumb Song A Hit

Drake is trying to recover from his controversy with Pusha T. He has this dumb song - how does he make the public love him again? By putting together a Degrassi reunion!!! It's genius but insulting to the public. Because Youtube Streaming counts for the billboard charts this song will chart higher than it's supposed to. As you can tell by the subject matter, it's not a song many people can get behind. This song doesn't deserve to be a hit. 

5) Drake Raps About Killing XXXTentacion And Then He Gets Murdered?

That's just bad timing. I don't think Drake actually killed him but it is weird. Drake raps "SMS, triple X/That's the only time I ever shoot below the neck (skrr)/Why you keep on shootin' if you know that n***a dead? (skrr)/That's the only kind of shit that gets you some respect." SMS could be word play for, "Send My Shooters," or for the text messages he received from the girl he was talking about earlier. Triple X is also word play from his previous verse. Towards the ending it's clear he is talking about killing someone and how that's the only thing that gets you respect. It's kinda sad that XXXTentacion died while this song was released as a single. 

Everything Right With Drake's "I'm Upset"

  • Beyonce reference: "That shit is in a box to the left, to the left."
That's all folks!

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Saturday, June 9, 2018

POLL RESULTS: BEST SONG FROM HARRY STYLES' NEW ALBUM?

A year ago, I created a poll on my website that asked: What is the best song from Harry Styles' new album? The poll was expected to close in a year. However, blogger.com actually stopped the poll a month early because they are retiring the poll feature. (Sad!!! That means I will have to find a new way to post a poll on my site).

POLL RESULTS: BEST SONG FROM HARRY STYLES' NEW ALBUM?

POLL RESULTS: BEST SONG FROM HARRY STYLES' NEW ALBUM?

Songs From Harry Styles the Album RANKED by My Readers

  1. Kiwi
  2. Meet Me In The Hallway
  3. Two Ghosts & From the Dining Table
  4. Sign of the Times
  5. Woman
  6. Carolina & Sweet Creature & Only Angel
  7. Ever Since New York


THE WINNER IS KIWI!!! Haha, looks like Kiwi became all our favorite songs when Harry started singing it so much on tour.  I wrote about that here: Harry Styles at Radio City Music Hall: Kiwi is now my favorite song. I'm surprised Meet Me In The Hallway is so high up. It's like a deep cut but I guess we all enjoy emotional!Harry. [This can be seen again with Two Ghosts and From The Dining Table being number 3 - both emotional songs]. I think it's interesting Every Since New York is last place. I agree!! That song is vague and some may feel bored by it. I'm surprised Carolina and Only Angel are so low on this list - they are fun, rock songs I thought every one would enjoy.

Let me know if you agree or disagree with the poll results in the comments. What is your favorite Harry Styles song?

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