SEI SIREN’s Obtuse Music Video
We were scrolling on our Twitter timeline one afternoon and found a gem. We are so thankful to whoever retweeted SEI SIREN’s post announcing her music video that accompanies the sound of her song, Obtuse. The music video was released on the 3rd of April 2021 and we are still not over it!
The music video stars SEI SIREN as Femme Fatale, Siyababa as The Driver, Che Hill as Dead Man and Ayanda Kansie as The Client.
The visual story was penned by Motsei Rangata (producer and editor), SEI SIREN (singer and lead), Nkuley Masemola (director) and Tholwana Ngwenya (DOP). In addition, Ponahelo Mojapelo and Khensani Mohlotloe brought the narrative to life through styling. On the other hand, Swazi and Jess Goldberg sat in the makeup artist chair. While Moagi Moshoane (lighting) and Wzrd_Oz (VFX) brought their individual voices.
From Hubedu
Pretorian electronic and alternative artist SEI SIREN’s second amalgamation of lyrics and sound, Hubedu is emblematic to a great extent. It translates to red in its language of origin, Sepedi. The first colour named after black and white on the traditional colour wheel was red. It symbolizes (in many cultures) heat, passion, rage, sexuality, love and danger. And from the visual story portrayed in the Obtuse music video, it is evident that the song itself is an extension of redness. There is anger. We see a red dress and a red handbag. There is passion. We noticed stains of blood. There is heat. These are visuals of flames ignited; a cigarette. There is love. We took with us a peculiar love story. There is danger. We laid our eyes on a woman who pulled the trigger.
READ OUR PIECE ON THIS MUSIC VIDEO: http://sacreativenetwork.co.za/2021/04/folasade-honour-wears-a-crown/
The narrative of the music video in our own words
Directed by Nkuley Masemola, the story told in the music video translates as one of an emotionally exhausted and scorned Femme Fatale.
In the dawn of the visual narrative, her scornful nature is documented from a low angle. What is portrayed in this moment is Femme Fatale looking down at what is in the boot of her car. Here, the scorned lead holds a gun in the direction of what we assume is the remains of a person (whom she has bad blood with). However, we do not know whose yet. We assume this is what lies in there based on the words she utters to who she sits in the dressing room with: dressed to kill. In addition, her facial expressions exude zero remorse.
Our assumption transitions into the continuation of the narrative as flashbacks of the events prior. Before we see her surrounded by loss and death, we learn that dressed to kill was a literal statement. The video concludes with her pulling the trigger on who we think is The Client as well as The Driver.
Is this final scene the letting go referred to in the lyrics? Or is it the go away that SEI SIREN sings?
READ OUR PIECE ON THE BLACK BEAUTY REPRESENTATION IN TYLA’S MUSIC VIDEO: http://sacreativenetwork.co.za/2021/03/permed-tings-braids-and-the-minis-afros-in-tylas-music-video/.
Watch the music video here: https://youtu.be/xWh_r-iq6Ko.
