A2 Media Studies Andrew Goodwin's Theory

1. Want U Back
Cher Lloyd:

2. Genre Characteristics
Cher Lloyd is of the pop genre and her song Want U Back includes
many generic conventions which agree to this genre. The pop genre
is usually associated with love and heartbreak, up beat, positive
music which often has colourful and bright music videos which also
include some humour. This song conforms to this as it is about a girl
wanting her boyfriend back however it presented in a fun, quirky
way. Instead of focusing on the break up, this song explores the
good times as if she was there in an attempt to get him back.
In these shots, she put herself into the scenarios her ex boyfriend is in with
his new girlfriend, In pop music rivalry between women is often seen a lot
of and this conforms to it. This also explores the idea of the first girlfriend
always has the power over the new girlfriend.

3. Promote/Sell Artist
As this is quite a fun song, the artist is seen as a fun loving, funny
typical young woman/ teenager who made a mistake and wants her
boyfriend back. This shows her as being quite mischievous and
cheeky which makes the audience like her and makes her seem
more ‘real’ as oppose to perfect which is something many pop artists
portray themselves as in their music videos.
Sitting on her bed, with just a white
top on and her hair tied up, shows
her as quite sweet and innocent as
well as quite ordinary
Opposite of how we saw her before,
now sitting in a bath tub white confetti
all over her and her hair messy, shows he
having fun and looking a little crazy

4. Lyrics and Visuals
Much of the lyrics in this song which match the visuals are all examples of her
calling him out and making fun of him and his current relationship. This is effective
as the audience get to follow the story from before the song to the present so it
draws them in and makes them feel as though they are there with her which
makes it more personal.
“This ain’t even jealousy , she ain’t got a
thing on me” Here he is features in a
magazine while she comments on the
new girlfriend being nothing compared to
her, the idea of a magazine suggests
fame, beauty- something desirable which
is quite humorous as we is being quite
vain and complimenting herself.
“Remember all the things you and I did first…now
you're taking her to every restaurant” This is
suggesting he's still hung up on her that he's doin
the things he did with her all over again.
Has all their photos saved and
makes fun of them. “Looking
like a pair of clowns”

5. Music and Visuals
The song itself can be seen as quite unique and fun, this is complimented
with the creative visuals used such as the moving photographs and the
magazine she’s moving in. It’s effective as there are a variety of shots with
creative transitions which match the beat of the music as it is very fast
paced. Cher is mainly known for her facial expressions and this adds a
comical, quirky element and compliments the sound effects of “ERGH”
throughout the song/

6. Frequent Looking
In many of the scenes in which the artist is singing she is
directly facing the looking at the camera which establishes
the relationship between the artist and the audience. In this
video, Cher frequently looks into the camera after every few
shots to create that connection with the audience as well as
to make them believe/ reassure them about what she's
saying/ singing.
The only time she’s not
looking directly into the
camera is when she Is
looking as the pictures or
inside the pictures

7. Intertextuality
This music video doesn’t really intertexualise as much as it is very
unique and by referencing to other music videos, it may be taking
away the rarity of this music video. This is common amongst new
and upcoming artists as nowadays being unique and recognised
as an individual is what a lot of artists strive for as they don’t want
the constant comparisons to other artists.
One media reference which was used is her being starred in a
magazine, this suggests that she thinks of herself as famous,
desirable and someone who should be a role model for her
audience,