Alicia Key-No One Music Video Analysis

The first music video I am going to be analysing is No One by Alicia Keys, directed by Justin Francis. From the music video the audience can gather that the music genre it belongs to is RnB. Alicia Keys is dressed in a diva type fashion, wearing sequin dresses, jeans and tight leather tops. She is also displayed playing the piano throughout the video; it includes night club scenes and many people dancing in an urban style. All these elements support the fact the song belongs to the RnB genre. There is no clear narrative in the video but the lyrics somewhat relate to the visuals. The lyrics in the song suggest the current emotions of Alicia Keys and how she is feeling happy with who she has in her life and how they make her feel, ‘No one can get in the way of what I’m feeling’. In the video she is presented dominantly and in a positive light which supports the fact of her being happy and in control of her life. “When the rain is pouring down” also connects to the visuals as she is then presented on screen in the middle of the street and playing the piano in the rain. As I have mentioned, Alicia Keys is obviously referring to a special person in the lyrics, she repeats “You and me together through the days and nights” yet the person she is talking about is never displayed in the visuals through the video. It isn’t that necessary because the audience are able to gather what Alicia Keys is singing about but it could possibly of added more detail if the person was presented in the video.
The overall mood and feeling of the song is very soulful and Alicia Keys has been presented singing a very powerful ballad in an emotional manner. This relates to the music in the song which is also very dominant and striking and even though, the song still manages to uphold an emotional, expressive and soulful atmosphere. The video has also been edited to include many various fast and quick cuts and this also helps the music build a clear relationship with the visuals. The audience are able to identify a dominant instrument in the music of the song, being a piano and throughout the video there are many close up shots of pianos, keyboards and piano keys to accompany the music.
Throughout the video there are many close-ups and long shots of Alicia Keys while she is performing which not only presents the audience with a detailed appearance of her but also helps them to identify, relate and connect with her. There are also many shots which display Alicia Keys playing the piano which again presents her in a positive light as it shows how she is a good performer, entertainer and is also very talented. During the video the audience receive clear references to the notion of looking, this helps promote a positive image for Alicia Keys as it positions the audience in the place of people watching her. She is presented on a television screen performing her song whilst playing the piano and we then view her on stage at a club while she is performing. The camera has been placed on the dance floor to create a point of view from the people in the crowd which helps her star image as people are enjoying her performance. The music video is wholly performance based as there are many various shot of Alicia Keys performing in many different costumes and settings. There are no shots, scenes or elements of a narrative throughout this music video.