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RIHANNA- 'Diamonds'
LYRICS
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
Find light in the beautiful sea
I choose to be happy
You and I, you and I
We’re like diamonds in the sky
You’re a shooting star I see
A vision of ecstasy
When you hold me, I’m alive
We’re like diamonds in the sky
I knew that we’d become one right away
Oh, right away
At first sight I felt the energy of sun rays
I saw the life inside your eyes
So shine bright tonight, you and I
We’re beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Eye to eye, so alive
We’re beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
We’re beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
We’re beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Palms rise to the universe
As we moonshine and molly
Feel the warmth, we’ll never die
We’re like diamonds in the sky
You’re a shooting star I see
A vision of ecstasy
When you hold me, I’m alive
We’re like diamonds in the sky
At first sight I felt the energy of sun rays
I saw the life inside your eyes
So shine bright tonight, you and I
We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Eye to eye, so alive
We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
We’re beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
So shine bright tonight, you and I
We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Eye to eye, so alive
We're beautiful like diamonds in the sky
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
Oh, yeah
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
Shine bright like a diamond
The opening narrative to this music video begins with the artists' hand running through a table of bright, shinging diamonds which connotes the title of the song 'Diamonds' and also connotates the lyrics 'shine bright like a diamond'. By watching this small clip, I noticed that the music from the track does not start playing straight away. Unlike other conventional music videos, there are a series of various shots that feature Rihanna smoking a cigarrette full of diamonds. This instantly signifies that this music video had a high budget.
The non-diegetic sound in the background of the opening clip is still and eerie. This is similar to the beginning of some film trailers which makes the opening scene of the music video rather cinematic and the panoramic camera frame adds to this cinematic effect. Throughout this clip, there is no definite main focus and the scene is rather disjointed with some fast and slow transitions. The opening narrative scene to the music video ends at 0.38 and fades to black. At 0.39, the track begins, the main focus of the camera is placed on Rihanna as she begins singing. The shot is in the middle of the frame and there is a white beamed spotlight centred behind her. This is quite iconic as during a stage performance the spotlight would also be centred on the main singer. These types of shots are frequent throughout this music video in order to reinforce Rihannas' vocal presence, this shot is also used to maintain the connection between herself and the lyrics.
The camera shows a mid shot of Rihanna in a blacked our room, the room is just light enough for us to see her face and her upper body. A sharp flash of light comes from the background and as the beat of the misic picks up in pace, the light becomes bigger and brighter. As the room is pitch black it almost sets the scene of a night sky and I felt that the bright, shining light connoted the lyrics 'we're beautiful like diamonds in the sky'. By listening to the lyrics of this song, it becomes clear to us that the main theme is love. During this clip, the room around her is all broken down an damaged, however, afterwards it is repaired and all of the objects fall back into place. This clip may signify that love may break down and damage a person, but eventually things will fall back into place.
During this clip, we can see that special effects have been used to create a turquoise coloured wave in the sky. The main artist has previously been running from what appears to be a vehicle with very bright headlights. In the midst of all of the action, Rihanna stops suddenly and stares up into the night sky with admiration. The turquoise wave of the Northern Lights is shown during the chorus and in time with the lyric 'we're beautiful like diamonds in the sky', therefore, the wave could in fact be a sea of diamonds in the sky. Another idea that came from this imagery of the Northern Lights could be that it symbolises that there is hope in the darkness. The scene of Rihanna looking up to the sky makes her look inferior, hopeful and quite child like. By looking at this clip we can also see that clothing is slightly exposing and makeup is very natural, this could be linked to the natural beauty of diamonds.
This clip shows a range of different close up angles throughout the introductory narrative scene to the music video. The first is an extreme close up lasting 2.5 seconds, this then transitions onto the next close up scene of pale white smoke, this also lasts 2.5 seconds. The final transition from this clip shows a close up of Rihannas' mouth and shows u that the smoke is coming from her, this lasts for 3 seconds. As she is smoking, this could signify that she has an addiction and as the theme of the song is about love, it coud mean that she has an addiction to love and affection.
The screen shot to the right shows Rihannas hand intertwined with a heavily tattooed males. Throuhout the video it came to my attention that this scene is shown several times, however, hers and her lovers hand are shown slowly slipping apart throughout the video. By the end of the video the hands are no longer completely intertwined, their fingertips are only just touching and they are reaching for eachother. These clips link to the lyric 'when you hold me, i'm alive'.
Within this scene of the music video, we are introduced to a wrecked room and we can see that Rihanna is central to it making her the main focus. However, as this seen progresses, our attention is drawn to the objects surround Rihanna. It seems that the shots of objects falling are being replayed backwards as if to repair the damage to the room.
Throughout the video, the audience can see elemental representations such as fire, water, earth and air through the environments that Rihanna is placed in.The screen shot shows a burning red rose, usually red roses involve love and intimacy and in this clip the rose is being burnt connoting damage and destruction.
For brief seconds during this music video, we see short cut-aways to the above burning rose. The music video is full of metaphors like this one to extend emotional messages to the viewer as they listen to the song and watch the video. The elements of the metaphor for this burning rose could be used to illustrate demonstrations of sadness, anger or a burning desire.
