It’s time to get emotionally attached to a paper cup in FEATURETTE’s music video for “Next Life.”
When listening to FEATURETTE’s newest single, “Next Life,” I bop along and enjoy what I hear, mostly because it’s got a great beat and the lyrics are very relatable. But really what I think is most interesting about this latest release, and I hope everyone agrees, is the music video. If you pay close attention at the start, around 31 seconds in, there’s a piece of graffiti that says “YOU WON’T BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!” and it’s true!
Switching between live-action and animation in a similar art style to the likes of some seriously popular cartoons, the audience follows a little paper Cup through its journey from Toronto, to the stars, back to Toronto, into a forest, and then eventually into (hopefully) its next life—as the title of the song might suggest. I personally did not expect anything quite so wild, but I loved every second of it from the Cup with the little butt, to the cat planets, to the teddy bear who joins the Cup for a wild ride. I was glued to the screen all throughout!
The visuals are amazing, but what’s really got me is the storytelling. I mean this in the best way: the song itself is simple, repetitive, and easy to dance along to. It’s clean, despite the panic it’s laying claim to. But the poor Cup! It’s easy to become emotionally attached to it as it gets thrown away and then batted around. Just when we think it’s found someone who will hold onto it and keep it safe, she sends the Cup down a ramp and into danger. After it finds its way to the forest, it’s picked up, then dropped again. Oh my poor heart. I can only hope it truly is better in the next life for the little Cup.
“Next Life” is a fun, bouncy song and I liked it even before watching the video. I have a feeling there are some artists who use music videos just as a tool to spread their music and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. But, I think people should let themselves admire the care and effort that goes into them because music videos aren’t just tools, they’re also an artform. They lift the music into a new dimension, but they also wouldn’t exist with the same emotional impact without the song they were made for.
Anyways, I sure needed something cute to latch onto today. “Next Life” is that cute – and wild – thing that I just happened to really focus on. It definitely made my day, and I hope it makes yours too.
Thanks for checking out DOMINIONATED
We rely on reader support to keep delivering Canadian music conversations like the one you’re reading.
Become a supporter and help keep DOMINIONATED’s conversations going.
