Hayley Kiyoko-girls like girls music video analysis.

The song Girls Like Girls by Harley Kiyoko has the genre of Indie Pop. Based on
Andrew Goodwins theory on key codes and conventions, the music video of
Girls Like Girls has a typical key convention of having Iconography and a music
video style connected to a specific music genre; Throughout the music video of
Girls Like Girls, The genre is represented through the use of colour: using soft
colours with an orange tinge. The typical use of soft pastel like colours is often
used in music videos with the genre of Indie. There is also the use of
Iconography; such as vintage bikes, the establishing aerial shot that shows long
roads, that gives a sense of depth and freedom. The use of orange tones and
tints edited in post-productions has connotations of warmth and sunshine and
summer; which is also often used in Indie-genre music videos.
Narrative
The music video has a circular narrative, the ending sequence of the music video
is also in the beginning; In the ending sequence we see the main character
grazes her face after being pushed over, in the beginning sequence we see her
riding her bike with the very same wound.
This narrative fits Tzvemtam Tedorovs theory on circular narrative; he stated
that narrative has five steps: the first step is equilibrium, in the music video of
Girls Like Girls the equilibrium is two girls and a guy hanging out, the bonding of
the two girls impartially is focused on. The second step of Tzvemtam theory is a
disruption, the disruption caused in this music video is the guy becoming jealous
of the two girls, and constantly breaking intimate moments between them. The
third step is realization of the issue, in the music video the two girls are about to
kiss, when the guy sees this he forcefully pulls the main character by her hair
and tosses her across the garden, once again separating the two girls. The other
girl, whom is a romantic interest to both the guy and the main character, is
shouted at by the guy. Everything has become hectic as he forcefully yells at her
dont look at her, look at me! The fourth step of the theory is restored order,
where repairing the damage is attempted. In the music video the main character
who plays the protagonist fights back; she pushes the guy over and begins to
throw punches at him. The last step is equilibrium again, in which the love
interest pulls her off of him. The two girls share an intimate moment and kiss.
The ending becomes the beginning as we then see main character in the same

shot in the first sequence riding her bike, smiling with the same graze on her
face.

Beginning sequence

Ending shot

This narrative contains three characters types, based on Vladimir Propps theory:
The hero, the
villain, and
princess/prize. Normally the narrative follows the hero, and the disruption in the
narrative is caused by the villain. The princess is normally the love interest to the
hero and is normally a side character. Within the music video of Girls Like Girls,
the main leading character is the girl on the bike, who plays the hero type. She is
romantically interested in the same girl another guy is interested in, and fights
with the anti-agonist for the love of the girl. The villain is the guy in the story,
who constantly creates barriers between the love interest and main character, he
also brings disruption to the narrative by attacking the hero and verbally abusing
the love interest. Love interest plays the role of the princess/prize, as she is what
the hero conquests and contains no power to change the narrative.
As the narrative contains a protagonist and antagonist, whom in which one is a
female and the other a male, it sets up a binary-opposition based of the sexes of
these characters. Based on Claude Levi-Strausss theory, that binary-oppositions
is used to create meaning. In this sense the binary oppositions represent
sexuality; the opposition is of heterosexual and homosexual. Oppression of gay
relationships; were society doesnt allow partners of the same sex to co-exist in
the same world, with the same rights.
The song Girls Like Girls is about girls having romantic and sexual interests
towards other girls; its a song empowering lesbians who may not have much
representation in the media. The music video represents two girls who have
romantic interest with one another; yet a heterosexual relationship seems to be
a burden between the relationships between the two girls. The sexuality of
lesbians is represented through the music videos characters, the two girls
represent gay couples, whilst the guy in the music video represents heterosexual
relationships. In the screen time between the two girls, the shots are slow,
contain extreme close ups and tight framing. The closeness of the camera
signifies the closeness and intimacy of the two girls, this represents their
relationship as positive, and a safe atmosphere, focused on understanding and
getting to know each other. Their interactions between each other contain slow,
soft gestures and movements; this gives a sense of trust and comfort, containing
a safe environment in their relationship. The slow movements in tight framings
and close ups is shown when they both smoke together. Containing shot reverse

shot and eyeliner match shows the connection between the pair, the shot
reverse shot shows them looking at one another, smiling at each other. The two
shots of the girls shows how close they are sat next to each, once again showing
their closeness.

Their relationship is represented as an intimate one, clearly showing they have

romantic and/or sexual interest, this is shown in the scene of them getting
changed together. Using the reflections in the mirror, we see the main character
look towards the other girl, this gives a sense of voyeurism as she observes the
girl undressing. Using tight framings once again and close ups, we see the pair
look at each other, the use of tight framings makes it appear as if they are nude.

Also getting changed together shows a sense of trust, as there is a sense of

venerability undressing, as you expose yourself. This shows they are comfortable
around each other; whilst the tight framings and curious glance the main
character gives suggest this relationship is much more then platonic, not a trust
of friends, but lovers. This scene then cuts to anther tight framing of their bare
legs in a swimming pool, the framing makes it look as if their legs are about to
tangle and their hands about to hold. This once again gives a sense of intimacy.

After every intimate close up between the two girls, there is a constant motif of
framing a medium long shot; showing all three characters. The two girls often
central in the rule of thirds, the girls often positioned closely together, whilst the
guy is mostly on the side; as if he doesnt belong in the frame. This often breaks
the atmosphere of intimacy, created by the tight framings and close ups
between the girls. The posting of the guy in the key frames presents him as a
lurking presence; like a black cloud hanging over them, as if he is a barrier
between them. This can be seen in the swimming pool scene; whilst there is tight
framings and close ups of the girls bonding in the pool, the camera pulls out
into a medium long shot; showing the whole pool. This time the guy physically
disrupts the intimate atmosphere by jumping into the pool in a cannon ball form
and splashing the pair of them. In which this gives a representation to the

lyrics Always gonna steal your thunder, watch me like a dark cloud
Representation
When the focus is on the guy character, the cuts become quick and fast
paced, this has connotations of predictableness and roughness. The
character also constantly walks out of frame, this gives him a sense of
force and aggressive power and dominance. However this also shows that
he is not the main focus of the narrative, despite his aggressive power,
the camera does not follow him. This shows that he is a secondary
character and not as meaningful as the two girls, representing the songs
meaning: Girls like girls too, not only
boys. The music video shows this by making the focus on the romance of
the two girls and not on the guy.

Earlier said before; there is a sense of

binary-oppositions between the female lead and the male character,
representing heterosexual and homosexual as binary oppositions; for
example the scene of the girls applying makeup products to each other
juxtaposed against the party sequence, of the guy grapping the girl off the

sofa and tickling her enforces the difference between their interactions
and behaviours. The scene between the girls is slow paced, with small
gestural movements, such as playing lip-gloss to the other girls lips, in an
extreme close up. The lips signifies sexuality and romance, as they have
connotations of kissing. Compared to the interactions between the guy
and the love interest, the gestures are much more forceful, as he yanks
her by the arm off the sofa; the harshness of the gesture is amplified by
the quick cuts, which implies a more aggressive behaviour towards
women. Despite tickling having connotations of affection, tickling can also
be seen as annoying and painful, the action rather rough, as someone
pushes your pressure points that you have no control over. The way the
two scene are shot show the difference in both relationships between the
homosexual and the heterosexual relationship.

In the sequence of the two girls applying makeup, the colour tones are

much softer, the framings are tighter, and there is only two of them; the
party sequence is the opposite to this: the yellows become much harsher,
as if it is an unsafe environment, the shots are in medium long shots, and
the space is crowded, and chaotic.
Featuring reaction shots and eye line match, with the use of soft colours
shows that their relationship provides a safe and comforting relationship,
with mutual understanding. Were as the Party sequence shows the rough
interactions of pulling her off a sofa whilst she is conversing shows that
there isnt much respect or regard for her. As he holds her from behind,
there isnt a chance to have eye line match, which would suggest
connection. The use of medium long shot also empathies the lack of
connection.

This suggests that the relationship between the girl and the guy, is in fact toxic
and unhealthy; he does not provide comfoting or safe envoriment.