(Edited 29/06/17) Analysis of media language in the video for 'Work Song' by Hozier

Work Song (Official Video) by Hozier on VEVO.

   The music video for 'Work Song' by the indie rock musician Hozier promotes his live performances whilst presenting the artist as appealingly authentic.

Figure 1

   The music video begins with a wide shot which presents Hozier and his band on stage in front of an audience (see figure 1). Camera movement follows an audience member as he moves forwards, closer to the stage, immediately creating a feeling of the viewer being part of this audience, hence increasing their feeling of engagement. The handheld camera emphasises the suggestions of inclusion by suggesting that the movement is more natural. The camera continues to move throughout the video, conveying a sense of energy.

Figure 2

   Shots of Hozier himself performing (lip-syncing and playing guitar, see figure 2) promotes the quality of his live gigs, encouraging viewers to buy tickets for his shows. Furthermore, the inclusion of musical props (microphones, guitars, drums, etc.) is conventional for music videos of the indie rock genre. Other props in the video's mise-en-scene include lit candles which, reinforced by the church-like setting, create connotations of purity which reinforce the importance of authenticity to the musician's brand, plus suits the genre because of the song's influences from gospel music. Hozier's costume is quite rugged, including a slightly dishevelled denim jacket which is unbuttoned with roughly rolled up sleeves, which reinforces the appearance of authenticity which the video aims to convey; it suggests that he is a relatable character with an attainable style.

   As well as elements of performance by Hozier, members of the 'audience' in the music video are presented dancing. There are cuts between these two components of the music video throughout, increasing the pace of the video to further convey energy - this is especially evident as the pace of cuts increases when the pace of the song increases. The dancers who make up the audience within the music video wear quite casual costumes (like Hozier), mostly in somewhat neutral tones - this may reinforce the low-key aesthetic of the music video. The contemporary style of dance featured complements the quite slow pace of the music, plus creates connotations of tenderness which emphasise the romantic sentiment of the song. This is emphasised by the slightly yellow filter which connotes warmth. Many of the shots of the dancing are close-ups which reinforce the immersive quality of the music video.

Figure 3

Figure 4

   Hozier is also presented through the use of close-up shots (as in figure 3, for example), a technique which Andrew Goodwin theorised is typical in music videos due to record label demands, wishing to promote the artist's brand. Notably, the penultimate shot of the music video is a close-up of him (figure 4), which lingers slightly even after the music has finished, hence creating a sense of finality. He is presented against a bright backlight in this shot, which is suggestive of angelic connotations that may elevate the suggested significance of his performance, plus creates a sense of impressiveness.