Hey guys,
Far out, I can't believe I haven't written for such a long time. I honestly was SO busy and I'm really sorry. :(
But I'm here now and with the school halls empty at this hour and L.O.V.E courtesy of Michael Buble playing on my phone, I can relax and write. (OK, not completely but I will get this done.)
There's been a lot of speculation around Sia's wonderful, wonderful and might I add WONDERFUL song, Elastic Heart. Now normally, I never listen to any songs past the 90's but this had to be the exception. Sia managed to combine sick beats and emotional conveyance into one song and boy has it received a lot of critical reception, especially the video featuring Shia Labeouf and Dance Moms', Maddie Ziegler. Some criticisms include the nudity and sexuality suggested between the two dancers in the video and the interpretation it holds in its representation. So I've decided to write about how I see the video.
In the opening scene itself the two are shown on opposite sides of the "cage" as though they are animals preparing to fight with one another followed by the two charging at each other. I have deciphered this as a father figure and his young one at war with each other because of their different ideas of the world and how they should live their life.
The girl represents innocence and a desire for wanderlust. She wants to leave the "cage" which represents captivity and his hold on her but he doesn't realize he's suffocating her. The guy represents fixation. He's so set in his ways and is determined to keep the girl in the "cage" so he can control her but she's at her breaking point and that's why she acts out in the video but him being the adult, he fights back to exercise the control he has and when she slams him against the "cage" she is taking charge of her freedom. He hangs onto the railing and jumps on top of her to show his dominance in the situation and at this point she lies there almost admitting defeat. He can be a means of love and support for the girl which is shown when he carries her around and makes funny faces, proving that he can be the father figure he needs to be. When she finally breaks free from the "cage" that is his mind she can see he's struggling himself because of the way he's been all this time and she tries to coax him out of it but he is just shown banging against the cage showing just how stuck he is because he can't change who he is.
Sia beautifully incorporates what being trapped in someone else's mind distinctly feels like. My personal favourite line is
"I'm like a rubber band until you pull too hard."
There are very few people who can deal with or bear being pulled hard from every angle. That being said there comes a point when those people who CAN deal with it snap. Being human means feeling pain, feeling pressured and that is exactly what it is shown in this video. It is in no way explicit or sexual or even remotely controversial. All over the world people are fighting for freedom of speech and the right to say exactly what they feel without being shot, condemned or judged for it. And this is exactly what Elastic Heart is. Freedom of speech in the form of artistic expression. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
I've got thick skin and an elastic heart.
What about you?
Until next time,
XXO,
Sara Malik.
Far out, I can't believe I haven't written for such a long time. I honestly was SO busy and I'm really sorry. :(
But I'm here now and with the school halls empty at this hour and L.O.V.E courtesy of Michael Buble playing on my phone, I can relax and write. (OK, not completely but I will get this done.)
There's been a lot of speculation around Sia's wonderful, wonderful and might I add WONDERFUL song, Elastic Heart. Now normally, I never listen to any songs past the 90's but this had to be the exception. Sia managed to combine sick beats and emotional conveyance into one song and boy has it received a lot of critical reception, especially the video featuring Shia Labeouf and Dance Moms', Maddie Ziegler. Some criticisms include the nudity and sexuality suggested between the two dancers in the video and the interpretation it holds in its representation. So I've decided to write about how I see the video.
In the opening scene itself the two are shown on opposite sides of the "cage" as though they are animals preparing to fight with one another followed by the two charging at each other. I have deciphered this as a father figure and his young one at war with each other because of their different ideas of the world and how they should live their life.
The girl represents innocence and a desire for wanderlust. She wants to leave the "cage" which represents captivity and his hold on her but he doesn't realize he's suffocating her. The guy represents fixation. He's so set in his ways and is determined to keep the girl in the "cage" so he can control her but she's at her breaking point and that's why she acts out in the video but him being the adult, he fights back to exercise the control he has and when she slams him against the "cage" she is taking charge of her freedom. He hangs onto the railing and jumps on top of her to show his dominance in the situation and at this point she lies there almost admitting defeat. He can be a means of love and support for the girl which is shown when he carries her around and makes funny faces, proving that he can be the father figure he needs to be. When she finally breaks free from the "cage" that is his mind she can see he's struggling himself because of the way he's been all this time and she tries to coax him out of it but he is just shown banging against the cage showing just how stuck he is because he can't change who he is.
Sia beautifully incorporates what being trapped in someone else's mind distinctly feels like. My personal favourite line is
"I'm like a rubber band until you pull too hard."
There are very few people who can deal with or bear being pulled hard from every angle. That being said there comes a point when those people who CAN deal with it snap. Being human means feeling pain, feeling pressured and that is exactly what it is shown in this video. It is in no way explicit or sexual or even remotely controversial. All over the world people are fighting for freedom of speech and the right to say exactly what they feel without being shot, condemned or judged for it. And this is exactly what Elastic Heart is. Freedom of speech in the form of artistic expression. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
I've got thick skin and an elastic heart.
What about you?
Until next time,
XXO,
Sara Malik.
Well written as usual :)
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