The Evolution of Music Videos in the Digital Age

Ariana Grande’s 2018 music video for “No Tears Left to Cry,” directed by Dave Meyers, captivates viewers with its unexpected twists and turns, beautifully reflecting the theme of navigating life’s unpredictability and the absence of a solid foundation. The visual effects like rotating hallways and gravity-defying buildings, create a sense of disorientation, while the choreography flows effortlessly within this surreal world. The use of reverberating soundscapes in the opening adds a haunting depth, drawing the viewer into a fully immersive experience. The music and visuals are perfectly balanced, merging together in harmony without one overshadowing the other.

(ArianaGrandeVevo, 2018)

On filming, visual and thematic interpretation

The music and visuals are carefully balanced, allowing each to complement rather than overshadow the other. With its continuously rotating environment and VFX, the video creates an illusion of shifting gravity, reminiscent of Inception and Monument Valley (Allure, 2021). Grande’s unconventional movements, dynamic camera work, and abstract set design turn each frame into a striking visual, making how ever frame of the video stand out as a work of art.

(Allure, 2021)

Glitches as aesthetic choices

Connecting to Benson-Allott’s theory (Caetlin Benson-Alliot, 2013), glitches—intentional errors in digital media—are used in music videos to disrupt realism and create alternative realities. This approach highlights the constructed nature of the medium while showcasing the artist’s creative control. In a similar way, music videos in the digital age use advanced editing techniques and color modifications to tell stories in innovative ways – the mv did the same with its abstract narrative of navigating a dream-like world representing resilience and hope. The surreal visuals encourage viewers to reflect on life’s challenges and the role of faith as a source of strength, showing how music videos can go beyond promotion to become powerful artistic expressions.

On feminist and emotional engagement through digital disruption

Benson-Allott explores how female artists use digital aesthetics to challenge traditional ideals of femininity, creating empowering and transformative visual identities. Ariana Grande embodies this through her fluid movements in surreal spaces, symbolizing strength while paying tribute to the victims of the Manchester bombing. The fragmented reality in the mv, with scenes of falling and struggle, deepens the emotional resonance, allowing the audience to connect with her journey. As Benson-Allott (2013) suggests, glitches in digital media disrupt realism and create alternative realities, highlighting the artist’s creative control. Grande’s video, with its abstract narrative and innovative use of color and editing, reflects themes of resilience and hope, demonstrating how music videos can transcend promotion to become powerful forms of artistic expression.

Resources

ArianaGrandeVevo. (2018, April 20). Ariana Grande – no tears left to cry (Official Video) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffxKSjUwKdU

Allure. (2021, September 10). Ariana Grande breaks down her iconic music videos | Allure [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX1eWKGGOrY

Savage, M. (2018, April 20). No Tears Left To Cry: Ariana Grande’s uplifting new single alludes to Manchester. BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-43821227

Caetlin Benson-Alliot (2013), “Going Gaga for Glitch: Digital Failure and Feminist Spectacle in Twenty First Century Music Video”m In: Vernallis, Carol, Amy Herzog, and John Richardson. The Oxford Handbook of Sound and Image in Digital Media. OUP USA, 127-139.

Jessie Tsui Hoi Yin 33776641