0:00-0:18 The video opens up with a view of the water, then goes to focus on a person tied up in a boat with his head covered. Then we get a close up of their destination, a place of ruins. They head towards the decaying community.
0:19-0:21 Now we see our Queen Bee, the ruler. (Queen Bee is mentioned in Lorde’s most famous song, Royals, it is a nickname she gave herself. Here in this music video we see the real Queen Bee.)
0:22-0:34 The community prepares for the arrival of the mysterious person with the sack on his head. Giving a direct look at their home/the place of ruins.
0:35-0:54 Queen Bee (Lorde) sings about the fascinating luxuries her ladies are entitled to. Teenagers sit around her, they live uncomfortably but they are free from society.
1:02-1:10 New kid arrives, he shows no fear, no resistance.
1:16-1:48 New kid wanders, he looks at this community, one that looks as if it is falling apart, but it’s thriving inside. Graffiti covers the walls, the walls are falling down. His tour guide has a limp, the new kid is confused but then two kids catch his attention as they are talking to each other. They have no judgement, they are living freely within this community, as is his tour guide. They’re happy.
2:05-3:05 The boy is quickly assimilated into the society of lost children. With such little communication the sense of freedom from society is soaring throughout this community. The teenagers communicate with hand signs and looks, showing that they truly know how to run things. Teenagers are capable of far much more than given credit for. The new kid is made to partake in what looks to be a test involving motorbikes. Uncertain of the aim of the test, as he tumbles off the bike and comes up bleeding, he has a smile on his face. No judgement insight, just a team.
3:06-3:18 The group carried the injured boy to the Queen Bee, this all is alluding to the initiation and hierarchy that Lorde is trying to portray in this “land of misfit toys” type of situation.
This bittersweet, dreamy track by one of my favorite artists really speaks about the way that not everything in life is picture perfect. The genre for this is Alternative Electricpop, which is a really good way to sum up most of Lordes discography. Lordes intended audience is extremely specific, she writes her music for teenagers and young adults, and she has said this multiple times. The context of this song was for kids who come from small cities that they love but they are desperate to leave. Mostly because these cities aren’t ones portrayed in mainstream media. Coming from a small city, somewhere that feels unimportant, you just wanna get out of there and that’s the main reason I love Lorde’s music so much. Her other songs such as 400 Lux, Royals, and mostly her whole genius album Pure Heroine touches up on this subject. The message seems to be summed up pretty well in: “We live in cities you’ll never see on screen. Not very pretty but we sure know how to run free. Livin’ in ruins of the palace within my dreams. And you know we’re on each other’s team.” This implies some disconnect with the rest of the world, and a unity between everyone. Alluding to the fact that we have the freedom to create our own life and not blindly follow instructions. Love your thoughts, out loud. Figure out all of the things you are capable of. Teenagers are capable of far much more than given credit for. Even creating a community that goes against societal norms, where everyone is free. Lorde shows teenagers in their own world, a world with hierarchies and initiations. This video seems a little like “Lord of the Flies” to me, but without the chaos and much more unity. Depicting a kind of broken Neverland, but it only seems broken because it isn’t something you’d watch on netflix.
Lorde is a great lyricist, and many of her songs allude to one another. I think you did a great job on analyzing the music video, especially with your analysis on the two boys communicating with hand gestures, because at times it can seem really broken up and confusing. I think there are a lot of people in the world who aspire for something greater, whether they’re from a rural town, a metropolis, or a small city. They should take their own lives into their own hand and look for whatever they’re looking for outside of where they were born.