Emeli Sande’s music video was released on the 14th
April 2011. The video is based in East London where Emeli grew up. Emeli sings
out to God using a medium shot focusing upwards pleading to erase all her sins
but also the sins in society as she lives in East London. However, Emeli
doesn’t believe in God but still sings “oh heaven” repetitively. This connotes
that she is preaching out to God for forgiveness. The music video is made to
look archaic, retro and vintage through the use monochrome
imagery.
The music video denotes a
topless man sitting on a green field with black wings probably angel wings as it relates to Heaven painted on his back. The type of shot being used is the over the shoulder shot
which connotes a desperate and in need feeling but it could also be
intimidating as his wings haven’t opened and been freed (society alone as
individuals not having a voice). The green field connotes envy but also
nature which is pure as Sande as she is asking for redemption. The painted
black wings on his back are not open and not white as
believed to be in heaven. This suggests that these people in society may have
fallen out of heaven, people in society are corrupt. However, because they
are not open it suggests that he has no freedom. This is perceiving society in
a negative manner as men are shown to be strong, powerful dominant and omniscient whereas in that scene the man looks
lonely and isolated.
Furthermore, the shot of the stained window “Fear God” is
written on the window. This suggests that all the power is in God’s hands. The
stained window with the lyrics on suggests that the fear she had in society of people judging her had corrupted her life and
stained her. This is because she lives in an urban city. The city of East
London is stereotypically got black ethnic people living there in poverty and
gangs. The video uses a lot of dark imagery through
mise-en scene like the man in the long shot standing in the centre of
the tunnel. This connotes that East London is dangerous.
The tunnel in the foreground, is light. The juxtaposition of
colours suggests that the man is reaching towards the light, the redemption
Sande is singing about is reaching towards “Heaven”. The light connotes purity
and new beginnings but also Sande’s life experiences.
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