Research - Music video- Analysis

1. " 139 " - Music video

Creation house & Levi Borz

About the Artist

Levi is a singer-songwriter married to Darina Borz, who shares his passion for music. In the music video, Levi is seen wearing his wedding band; however, despite his marital status, his wife does not appear in the video’s narrative. This absence may suggest that Levi is intentionally portrayed alone, symbolising a period of personal reflection and creative introspection.

Music Video Timeline + Conventions each Scene

1. The video opens with a close up of Levi Broz waking up, the framing is intimate, immediately placing the viewers inside his personal, everyday life. There is no lip-syncing throughout the music video, however the beat of the song aligns with the pacing of the cuts, rhythm instead of performance.

2. A sequence of short, precise shots show Levi drinking water and moving through an organised, tidy house. The environment feels controlled and calm but his body language shows that he is anxious, this is seen when he is at home. In the background, a Christian artwork on the dinning room wall referencing churches, subtly establishes faith as part of his identity. The lighting throughout these interior shots is mellow, inviting, primarily from lamps and some natural light.

   
   

3. The first time he leaves the house, he is met with an active wide street, people passing by him. He is unsure which direction to take, looks right and left. The camera focuses on him but in a detached way, stalks him around. Throughout theses scenes the artist is emotionally distant from society, he's never companied.

   
   

4. A reflection moment occurs as Levi looks at himself in his bathroom mirror, he washes his face a symbolic action associated with reset, vulnerability or preparation.

   
   

5. The video returns to Levi writing in the same notebook shown earlier, creating visual continuity, his internal thoughts persist

   
   

6. Nervous energy = Levi drinks water which can be interpreted as an attempt to calm his nerves or steady himself

   
   

7. Abruptly he rushes toward the door, his feet slide across the floor to the door, a visible sign of enthusiasm, although in the scene his back is facing the camera, his body language is enough to understand his feelings.

   
   

8. The next scene is of him driving, a city break to the rural area.

   
   

9. Levi screams in joy, diegetic sound is intentionally suppressed, allowing non-diegetic music to convey emotion.

   
   

10. Levi is then seen in the middle of a green field with a beautiful blue sky behind him, he is now in a yellow shirt, a colour commonly associated with joy and freedom, a very strong visual contrast.

    
    

11. He then runs toward the camera in slow-motion, smiling and energised.

    
    

12. He then runs away form the camera, forward movement rather than confrontation. He doesn't stop running, he is finally free, the song is about being able to run away to the edges of the sea, but never able to hide from God, it brings peace of mind knowing that we are protected and guided.

    
    

Inspiration

Its inspired by Psalms 139 a bible chapter from the Book of Psalms, a book of songs and prayers. The entire album is inspired by chapters from the book. Levi and Creation house were inspired by the chapter, the book is poetic, frequently used by Christian artists when composing a song. The song has already been written, the artists only had to add musical elements (beat, rhythm)

LYRICS

Reference to Scripture

Verse 1

139:1 "Doamne, Tu ma cercetezi de aproape si ma cunosti"

En- "You have searched me, Lord, and you know me"

139:2 "stii cand stau jos si cand ma scol"

En- "You know when I sit and when I rise: you perceive my thoughts from afar"

139:3-4 "Stii cand umblu is cand ma culc si cunosti toate caile mele. Caci nu-miajunge cuvantul pe limba, si Tu, Doamne, il si cunosti in totul"

En- "You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways"

Chorus

139:7 "Unde ma voi duce departe de Duhul Tau si unde voi fugi departe de Fata Ta?"

En- "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?"

139:9-10 "Dava voi lua aripile zorilor si ma voi duce sa locuiesc la marginea marii, si acolo mana ta ma va calauzi si dreapta Ta m ava apuca"

En- "If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast."

Verse 2

139:23-24 "Cerceteaza-ma, Dumnezeule, si cunoaste-mi inima! Incearca-ma si cunoaste-mi gandurile! Vezi daca sunt pe o cale rea si du-ma pe calea vesniciei!"

En- "Search me, God, and know my hear; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting"

Bridge

139:9-10 "Daca voi lua aripile zorilor si ma voi duce sa locuiesc la marginea marii, si acolo mana ta ma va calauzi si dreapta Ta m ava apuca"

En- "If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast."

Key Lyrical Focus

• God searching and knowing the hear

• Divine presence in the heights and depths

• Being created by God

• His thoughts being precious and numerous

2. "So Easy" Olivia Dean

Album - The art of loving 

Music Video Directed by Jake Erland

About Artist

Olivia Dean’s music is a combination of modern soul, classic pop and jazz-tinged intimacy, a sound that feels nostalgic but fresh. Her style draws deeply from the golden eras of soul and Motown, her music is a pastiche of Lauryn Hill, Any Winehouse and Carole King while also incorporating the softness of 70s disco and subtle seductive tone from Sade.

The director, Jake Erland and creative team treated the video like a modern cinematic musical sequence, almost like a classic Hollywood musical reinforced to the pop culture. The video plays with romantic storytelling through everyday life. It intertwined Dean’s performance with moments that feel spontaneous, people bumping into each other, smiling, dancing, this visually reflects the song's message that love is effortless when it’s genuine.

Dean isn't just performing, she's positioned as a “modern Cupid”. She moves through scenes where romantic moments unfold around her organically, she enhances the feelings that are already in the air, she inspires fate to take action. This echoes the song’s message about being confident in your own worth rather than obsessing over external validation. 

“So Easy (To Fall in Love)” radiates playful confidence. Carried by a retro soul groove and a sense of cheeky fun, the song becomes a flirtatious celebration of self love. Rather than following the conventions of traditional love songs that idealise another person, Dean turns the focus inward, centering the narrative to self love and personal growth. She discovers that loving herself comes more naturally than anything else. 

Conventions

The music video opens in an office setting, where Dean stands out in a refined dress, radiating quiet confidence. A series of diverse spaces expand the message: a flower shop that symbolises self-care, a perfume store where individuals delight in their own identity, and a bookstore where she witnesses two men falling in love. The line “anyone with a heart would agree” the video suggests that lighthearted romance and self acceptance often lead us exactly where we belong and to the people we are meant to find. 

By incorporating her own Burberry campaign and dancing through glowing city streets filled with motion and energy, Dean presents herself as confident. The combination of movement, joy and spontaneity echoes the rhythm and spirit of Jungle's “Back on 74”, reinforcing the video’s vibrant, empowered mood. 

The video uses several standard pop video conventions, but with creative twists

The video blends performance and narrative conventions 

→ Dean performs/dances, alongside, mini narrative vignettes unfold around her, couples meeting, friends smiling, people connecting. This approach makes the video feel like a short musical vignette rather than just a typical pop video.

LYRICS

Transitions

Much of the video feels like a single continuous journey, Dean moves through spaces without clear breaks which gives 

• A sense of unbroken rhythm 

• A feeling of story unfolding in real time

This is a common musical convention but executed here with modern editing

The video often uses

• Match cuts → where actions in one scene visually match those in the next

• Camera movement transitions → the camera follows Dean’s motion and then reveals a new backdrop (from street to shop, from empty space into bustling crowd)

The pacing of cuts and transitions aligns closely with the beat of the song, snappy visuals during choruses and gentle scene changes during verse, which is a typical pop music convention that keeps the video energised and engaging.

3. "You Say" - Lauren Daigle 

Album - Look Up Child 

Awards - 

2019 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album 

2019 Billboard Music Award for Top Christian Album 

2019 GMA Dove Awards

The album spent 44 weeks at No.1 on the Billboard Christian Album chart 

Lauren actively talks about her artistic process when creating music, on her youtube channel

Music Video Inspiration

“This song for me was just a reminder of identity. It was a reminder that when I’m weak He is strong. So how do I change that and bring that into my everyday life? When I feel inadequate, how is it that there’s always these moments where I feel like God just steps in and supersedes my inadequacies.This entire song was so that every single night I would get up on stage and remind myself that this is the truth. Don’t get buried in confusion, in the waywardness just remember to stay the course.” – Lauren Daigle

LYRICS

CONVENTIONS

Contemporary Christian Music, focusing on authenticity and emotional intimacy rather than high concept spectacle 

Narrative Storyline - the video features a narrative that illustrates the songs themes of finding strength in weakness and trusting in God

Intimate Performance - Lauren performance is central, often appearing close up to directly connect with the viewer, a common convention in intimate music video to convey emotional truth

Symbolic lighting - the lighting (golden hour lighting) is designed to be atmospheric, often highlighting moments of vulnerability or hope, aligning with the lyrical themes of light in darkness 

Visual simplicity - the visuals are not over produced, focusing instead on the emotional, personal and spiritual message of the song 

Casual outfit, yellow being the main colour used, lighting, her shirt. Messy casual up-do 

Overcoming inadequacy - the lyrics “You say I am strong when I think I am weak” directly addresses the struggle of self doubt, encouraging listeners to trust a higher truth