Deconstruction of Music Promo 2

Instruction - Jax Jones ft. Demi Lovato and Stefflon Don

This music video fall under the form: Performance/Concept

Instruction is a song by English DJ and record producer Jax Jones, featuring American singer Demi Lovato and British rapper Stefflon Don. It was written by MNEK, Stefflon Don, Demi Lovato and Jax Jones, with the song's production handled by Jax Jones and Mark Ralph. Jax Jones is also a singer, songwriter and remixer who works in the genre (deep) house.

All my Ladies

(What you gon' do?)

All my ladies

Wind to the left, sway to the right

Drop it down low and take it back high

Bitch, I don't need introduction

Follow my simple instruction

Wind to the left, sway to the right

Drop it down low and take it back high

Bitch, I don't need introduction

Follow my simple instruction

You see me I do what I gotta do, oh yeah

On the guest list, no need to queue, oh yeah

Me and my crew, we got the juice, oh yeah

So come here, let me mentor you, well

Some say I'm bossy 'cause I am the boss

Buy anything, I don't care what it cost

Stacked like casino, Armani, Moschino

If you're The Supreme then I'm Diana Ross

All my ladies

Wind to the left, sway to the right

Drop it down low and take it back high

Bitch, I don't need introduction

Follow my simple instruction

Wind to the left, sway to the right

Drop it down low and take it back high

Bitch, I don't need introduction

Follow my simple instruction

(Step one)

Report to the dance floor when I say, oh yeah

(Step two)

Tell mom you'll be out till late, oh yeah

(Step three)

Pull up your bumper, cock up your waist, oh yeah

(Step four)

Grab somebody, now face to face and say

Say that you're bossy 'cause you are the boss

Buy anything, you don't care what it costs

Stacked like casino, Armani, Moschino

If you're The Supreme then I'm Diana Ross

All my ladies

Wind to the left, sway to the right

Drop it down low and take it back high

Bitch, I don't need introduction

Follow my simple instruction

Wind to the left, sway to the right

Drop it down low and take it back high

Bitch, I don't need introduction

Follow my simple instruction

Yo, see me 'av everyting what you want, put it pon me

They dunno the realest star 'cause she don't play

They say I'm loco when me do me ting

Gyal ofe backup, backup pon it

Gyal ofe step up, step up pon it

(All my ladies) bad gyal, bad gyal

Lovin' di ting, lovin' di ting, say you lovin' anyting

Bad gyal, bad gyal, mashin' up di ting, mash up di ting pon him

Say that you're bossy 'cause you are the boss

Buy anything, you don't care what it costs

Stacked like casino, Armani, Moschino

If you're The Supreme then I'm Diana Ross

All my ladies

Wind to the left, sway to the right

Drop it down low and take it back high

Bitch, I don't need introduction

Follow my simple instruction

Wind to the left, sway to the right

Drop it down low and take it back high

Bitch, I don't need introduction

Follow my simple instruction

Bitch, I don't need introduction

Follow my simple instruction

Bitch, I don't need introduction

Follow my simple instruction

Compared to other songs in the genre, this song isn’t as repetitive apart from the chorus and follows a revered structure of chorus, verse, chorus. This makes people want to dance immediately and recognize it from the catchy words. Her direct address through commands and 'you' makes the audience feel involved.

During Stefflon Don’s rap in the middle of the song, she uses slang and abbreviated language to fit more words in a sentence. It also increases the pace of the song making it more upbeat and encourages people to dance. Furthermore, it allows people who prefer listening to rap something to enjoy and therefore appeal to a wider audience consequently improving sales.

Throughout the chorus, Demi Lovato says opposite words such as left and right, high and low gives movements to the listener so that they can dance like they characters/artists in the music promo. This is a great way of advertising the song through dance.

Mise-en-scene in this music video:

Lighting: This music promo uses half natural and half artificial lighting. During the beginning of the music video it starts naturally lit through the sun’s rays. This is a very clever technique as shadows are created and reflected on Demi Lovato and dancers faces giving it more of an interesting appearance. This is unusual in a music video of this general as pure white or bright and colorful lights are used to make it eye-catching and like a night club to encourage dancing.

Later in the video, as night falls, red and blue lights brighten the area behind and around the artists and characters. Yellow toned lights are used in front of the artists to sharpen their appearance and make it clearer. The colour is edited and enhanced throughout the music promo to create a contrast between light and darks.

Make-up: The make up as for many music videos is very natural during the day shots, all the dancers and Lovato have warm toned eyeshadows and soft glossy lips. Most of the women’s hair is down suggesting ‘letting lose’ and going with the flow in dance swaying left to right. Stefflon Don’s make up is more glamourous as she has a golden glitter eyeshadow look to match her extravagant carnival head piece and costume along with other women in colorful outfits, however they still have neutral make up in the day light. Demi’s lips change from glossy to red in the evening creating a male gaze and seductive look which draws people into purchasing.

Costume: Like makeup the clothing selected in the video is very casual except for the bright neon carnival costumes. These outfits are sparkly and revealing supporting the Male Gaze and also are a key influence to get people dancing and watching. Demi and dancers chose accessories over fancy clothing such as hoop earrings and jewelry, however still are wearing the top trends. Same goes for her accompanying artist Jax Jones who originally appears wearing a white t-shirt and sunglasses, contrasting his backing drummers wearing black. During the night shots, Jones changes to a red Hawaiian shirt and demi changes into a scrunched pastel yellow top and floral trousers suggesting they are somewhere warm and tropical.

Setting and Location: The music promo is set throughout the day, sunrise, sun set and night time in order which doesn’t normally occur during a video of this genre. All shots are set in the same area as each scene have common connections such as sandy ground. I like the rural feel the video has, with the bright graffiti on the walls and … there are only 2 locations used, either in a carpark/open space or in/around a café/restaurant. This means they had to be more creative with editing and surrounding to keep the audience interested and engaged.

Video Deconstruction: 

Throughout the video, there is full attention on the artist, Demi Lovato as well as Jax Jones and Stefflon Don. Lots of close ups are used to focus the audience’s attention and to show them lip syncing the lyrics. Side pans show of the features of the artists faces ultimately improving their branding and image making them more well known. The low angle should use regularly show their power and status in the promo. Stefflon Don is shown on a horse through a low angle show showing her dominance in an extravagant costume. All artists are centred in the frame when others are a part of the frame. By zooming and changing the focus in the frame allows the promo to control the audience’s attention focusing them on the artists face. The video comes to a close of a close up of Demi Lovato cut to a shot of all 3 artists standing boldly.

In this video, they include musical instruments that match the setting on the promo. The male artist Jax Jones in accompanied by other male members who bang on jumps in and included within the music. This is unusual as instruments are usually seen in Performance video and not often used in this genre. The drums are cultural matching the setting of the video and a mixture of close ups and mid shots are used to highlight the artist as well as the whole drumming cast throughout the video. At one point in the music promo, there are other classical instruments which contrast to the cultural drums used.

A convention of an EDM video is the involvement of dance. Lovato carries out a routine during the chorus of the dance which will encourage others to join in too. The women dancing with her makes it more interesting for the audience. By repeating the routine allows people to learn it and show it meaning an increased popularity of the video and therefore the artists name. The clothing worn by the artist, backing dancers and drummers are trendy up to date outfits such in neutral colours and demi. Some skin is shown to create a male gaze however, is more apparent when the carnival dancers are shown, they are in bright coloured outfits that are short and revealing. The contrast between these two colour panels will appealing to a wider audience and makes it more interesting.

The setting changes throughout the promo, starting with light, warm tones showing a sandy rural environment varying to a café, brightly lit which is a change and finally a dark night setting that is lit through red and blue fluorescent lights with a hint of warm tone lighting whilst screening Stefflon Don, all enhanced in post-production. The sun was heightened in order to create more interesting bleaching transitions. Quick shots match the pace of the music and the use of slow motions to contrast the shot duration. The blue and red lighting towards the end of the video creates shadowing on the artist’s face, this also generates a clubbing theme which works in conjunction with the dancing convention.