The first music video broadcast on MTV was “Video Killed the Radio Star.”
The catchy song details the rapidly changing music industry of the 1980s. With the advent of music videos and the marketing push to create pop idols, musicians faced an increasing amount of pressure to look the part. The video kills the radio star.
https://youtu.be/W8r-tXRLazs?si=9y4pqzwoNrA-Cwt6
But what happens when video is dying?
MTV isn't as relevant and many people can't remember the last time somebody dropped a fire music video. Seriously, what could match the hype of “Gangnam Style” or “Anaconda?”
For the longest time, music videos seemed like a dying breed of art, but with the viral video release of Troye Sivan's recent singles, maybe the genre can be revived — by dance.
Earlier this summer, Sivan released “Rush” in anticipation of his newest album “Something to Give Each Other.” The single was well-received, mostly due to the music video's beautiful contemporary hip-hop choreography.
https://youtu.be/b53QJYP-lqY?si=fTbeSGSrbsMQOWai
“Rush” clearly takes after the clubbing opulence and effervescence of the late 90s and early 2000s with lots of dancing and near-nudity.
The video features a mesmerizing Slavic-inspired line dance similar to choreography by Igor Moiseyev in the famous Russian ballet “Day on the Ship.” The stiffness of the dance is inspired by the chanting in the song's chorus: “I feel the rush / Addicted to your touch.” The dancers almost embody soldier-like automatons, linking arms and stomping in sync like a demonstration of an elaborate military drill, performing with great precision, coordination and timing. The geometric lines and forms made with their bodies make the dancing feel masculine and powerful — a demonstration of queer brotherhood. Yet, like the song, their dancing is never entirely rigid. All of their movements somehow feel fluid, natural and connected.
Choreographed by Brazilian-born Sergio Reis and Mauro van de Kerkhof, the dance's unique use of big, expressive movements attracted a lot of attention on TikTok and led people to Sivan's music.
https://youtu.be/WjLcVqjIkLo?si=97l1mq8BXstc18pM
Similarly, Reis and van de Kerkhof were the masterminds behind the bold dance moves in Sivan's newest release “Got Me Started” on Sept. 20. In this video, the dance is more sensual, somehow finding the perfect balance between fluidity and rigidity. The backup dancers flow into geometric positions like an electric current is coursing through their body. The camera cuts seamlessly between different takes of Sivan and backup dancers busting moves in different locations, switching between elegant rooftops, sparsely decorated reception halls and a sophisticated urban courtyard. The combination of choreography and Sivan's confidence somehow makes pulling up some comically baggy cargo pants look effortlessly sexy rather than embarrassing.
I can only guess that the popularity of this choreography is going to give Sivan's music videos more attention and generate more hype for his new album.
Despite the excitement, the singer faced a significant amount of backlash on X, formerly Twitter, most of which was from Rolling Stone reporter Tomás Mier, who claimed “Rush” lacked body diversity.
I adore Troye Sivan, but this “Rush” video is making me feel some type of way. It seems like a case study on how white gays choose to view queer people as a whole. There’s not a single fat person in the entire video. Just white twinks and chiseled bodies.
In the release of “Got Me Started,” Sivan's music video was intentionally cast for body diversity, but none of the dancers were larger-bodied; people on X are unsure of whether or not they're happy with that.
Obsessed with the prominently placed, stoic fat people in the background, a quiet but resounding “Are you happy now?” https://t.co/U04hhaRoE4
Another popular music video experiencing its viral dance moment is “Back On 74” by Jungle. The impressive music video is filmed in a one long take with changes in lighting and set design. Like Reis's choreography, the dance is super contemporary with elements of funk and hip-hop. The dance is not technically advanced, but the difficulty lies in the dancer being fully expressive with their body.
https://youtu.be/q3lX2p_Uy9I?si=Fehvo9FcTr0q_wkg
Clearly, dance in music videos is having its moment. All three videos went viral on Tiktok and the musicians are doing better because of it. In fact, dance might single-handedly be saving music videos.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, in the words of DJs and music producers Fred Again and The Blessed Madonna, “We've lost dancing.” When we were stuck still in our homes — at desks, in the dark, behind monitors — to ensure the wheels of capital kept turning, movement was inherently rebellious. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, dancing is a nod to freedom. Our bodies are meant to be expressive.
In the case of Sivan and Jungle, the resurrection of music videos doesn't have anything to do with the type of body you have or the clothes you wear. It has nothing to do with “video.” It has more to do with one unequivocal and irrefutable truth: Music is meant to be danced to.
