3rd Textual Analysis - Can't feel my face by the Weeknd

Can't feel my face is an R&B song that captures the artists struggle to fame. The singer/rapper of this song (The Weeknd) is often considered part of the POP genre however, the song shares the generic conventions that support the R&B genre more. The backstory for the song generally is that it describes how he feels after taking an abundance of drugs. The sing was released on June 5th 2015. 

The music video was directed by Grant Singer and was was released on July 28, 2015. As of January 2018, the video has received over 870 million views, becoming the third most viewed video by The Weeknd behind "The Hills" and "Starboy" which have received over 1 billion views each. Considering the amount of views that the official music video has received, I believe that the music video and the song generally has gone down very well.

And I know she'll be the death of me, at least we'll both be numb
And she'll always get the best of me, the worst is yet to come
But at least we'll both be beautiful and stay forever young
This I know, yeah, this I know

She told me, don't worry about it
She told me, don't worry no more
We both know we can't go without it
She told me you'll never be in love, oh, oh, woo

I can't feel my face when I'm with you
But I love it, but I love it,
oh I can't feel my face when I'm with you
But I love it, but I love it, oh

And I know she'll be the death of me, at least we'll both be numb
And she'll always get the best of me, the worst is yet to come
All the misery was necessary when we're deep in love

This I know, girl, I know
She told me, don't worry about it
She told me, don't worry no more
We both know we can't go without it
She told me you'll never be in love, oh, oh, woo

I can't feel my face when I'm with you
But I love it, but I love it, oh
I can't feel my face (I can't feel nothing) when I'm with you
But I love it, (but I love it) but I love it, oh
I can't feel my face when I'm with you
But I love it, (but I love it) but I love it, (but I love it)
oh I can't feel my face when I'm with you
But I love it, (but I love it) but I love it, (but I love it) oh
She told me, don't worry about it
She told me, don't worry no more
We both know we can't go without it
She told me you'll never be in love, oh, oh, woo

I can't feel my face when I'm with you (I can't feel my face)
But I love it, (but I love it) but I love it (oh I love it)
oh I can't feel my face when I'm with you (said I can't feel my face)
But I love it, (but I love it) but I love it oh
I can't feel my face when I'm with you (face, when I'm with you)
But I love it (but I love it) but I love it,
don't you think I can't I can't feel my face when I'm with you (I can't feel my face)
But I love it, (when I'm with you baby) but I love it, (when I'm with you baby)

In my opinion, the music video is interesting because it is performance based but the performance actually creates a narrative. The Weeknd, who also happens to be the protagonist of the music video, is on stage in a bar singing and dancing to the song for which the video was created. Throughout this segment, there are some close up shots of the audience's faces which show that, apart from one person, they are disappointed with and bored of his performance. For example, one woman covers her face with her hands and shakes her head while another just looks at him, confused. This creates a simple narrative that doesn't distract viewers from the performance.

When a man from the crowd throws a lighter at The Weeknd, this sets his performance and himself on fire in both the physical and mental way. The crowd automatically stands up and begins to dance whilst this begins to occur. I feel that this changes the entire dynamic of the song and of the music video; this may have also get viewers in the mood to dance as well.

Throughout this segment there are a variety of different shot types which are used, dominantly close-up, mid and long shots, when he is performing to show the most important parts of his body (e.g. close-ups of face when he is singing, and long shots of his body when he is dancing).

There are a number of coloured lights that are shown throughout the video, sometimes as a subtle filter and sometimes simply as lights from the bar. This emphasises the performance side to the music video, as well as its fun side, as it relates to DJs, clubs and staged performances such as plays or concerts.

The music video is set in a club with the protagonist on stage alone. The song begins with a fade from a black screen into an extreme close up of the main character which stays in the same place for the first 30 seconds until the song reaches the chorus.

This shot remains on screen for a sufficient amount of time which enables the audience to read into the emotion that the main protagonist is feeling, we can see this through his facial expressions alone. From this early stage in the song we can see the story developing through the props of the microphone and the curtain in the background.

The storyline develops as the song continues however the next event in the music video is where the antagonist throws the flame over the protagonist and then the shots increase in speed, shorten in duration and everyone in the club begins to get up and dance.

Finally, the message of the music video is that in the music industry, at first you work hard even though you achieve no recognition. If you are lucky enough to be chosen by a select few, you will be propelled to fame and 'light up' the industry and the spotlight will be on you and because of this average listeners follow suit and begin to dance as they hear you songs played on all different platforms.