Tuesday 12 February 2013

[New Music Video] Rihanna Gets Arty With "Stay" Visuals



The video for Rihanna's Stay has dropped, and once again the Diva surprises.

If I told you that the visuals consisted solely of Rihanna ruminating in a bath tub, I think you wouldn't be too surprised. Most would think it was only a matter of time before she got it all out on film. But as trashy as the concept sounds, the reality is her actual nakedness is the last thing you focus on; it's the emotional nudity that captures, and holds, the attention.


Director Sophie Muller should be praised for the risk she took trusting a pop star could deliver on such a simple concept. But equally, Rihanna should be acknowledged for the subtle and nuanced performance she gives- one many a professional actor would have had trouble serving up. It's what makes the whole thing work so successfully, and what stops it from just being a video of Rihanna having a soak after a long day dutty wining.

Colour me suitably impressed!


EDIT: The legit video has hit and frankly I'm disappointed. The emotion that made the leaked video so startling has been diluted, and dare I say lost, by too many cuts and angles. Including them has also taken away the risk that a video just consisting of Rihanna in a bath tub brought, making it nothing more than a standard, albeit average, music video in the process.

However, my biggest gripe is the use of shots and scenes designed to titillate viewers- something the original video showed was totally unnecessary. Not only do they cheapen the whole video, but they distract from the emotion of the beautiful song.

Would my reaction have been different if I hadn't had the chance to see the leaked footage? Maybe, because I wouldn't have seen how capable Rihanna was of selling a video without relying on her body. But since I have, I can't help but be disillusioned that others aren't going to get the chance to see this too.

142 comments:

  1. I think the concept was the video was very simple, much like the song itself.
    In my opinion, it's her best song... like ever.

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  2. Reminds me a bit of the premise for Janelle Monae's Cold War mv, although Imo Janelle pulled it off a lot better.

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  3. in the words of nicki minaj "who's gassin this hoe?".

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  4. Its my fav non sex related song from her..my favorite song from her will always be Cockiness...It was a lyrical and temporal master peice of fierce womanly sexual obtrusiveness....

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  5. You know I love her sex songs, but this one is just so real. Idk, It's a side of Rihanna that I've never seen, you know, her vulnerability. I'm very happy she released this as a single in the midst of all these shallow pop songs (some of which I like).
    But you're right , Cockiness is amazing. Especially that 3rd verse. Yummmm ;)

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  6. ''Fierce womanly sexual obtrusiveness'' am at a loss what that means?

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  7. I summed up what I got out of the song....A fierce, obnoxious, and blatant woman that takes charge of the sexual relationship.....I can't go to deep in depth because I have a wild imagination and I have no problems visualizing Rihanna in that manner.

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  8. Yes.....just.....yes......

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  9. Thanks. Just wasn't sure what you were trying to convey but that clears it up. :-)

    And yeah, I have no problem imagining Rihanna in that manner either...it's one of the many reasons I despise her. ;-)

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  10. Because she's sexual?

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  11. lol.....Alright, glad I clarified it for you...

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  12. No, because she is blatant and obnoxious.

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  13. Blatant and obnoxious how?

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  14. The way black robin just described.
    She lacks any subtlety and class.

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  15. "Suck my cockiness, lick my persuasion
    Eat my words and then swallow your pride down down
    Place my wants and needs over your resistance
    and then you'll come around (3x)



    I want you to be my sex slave
    anything that I desire
    be one with my feminine
    set my whole body on fire"


    That enough shows that she is in it to force her sex on someone without her caring if they resist at all...they gonna get the clitty if they want it or not..... Get meh jives now? lol


    That is why I like the song...it is Blatantly obnoxious, yet powerful and expressive in a dignifying way, for me at least. lol

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  16. If a man would ''force his sex on someone without caring if they resist'' guess what it would be called.

    Can't say I've ever heard anybody so clearly describe rape as dignifying.

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  17. There is some stuff I'd never do, and raping someone is one of them...although, I can't help but see that rape has to be somewhat dignifying if someone goes the entire mile to get what they want. Sorry, if I'm weirding you out, but when you have a mind like mine, you think of every scenario from every point of view.....lol That's why I love to write....keeps me from stressing myself out over the things my mind conjures up.....strange lil oh me...lol

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  18. Oh you're not weirding me out. I am quite aware rape fantasies are quite common and not to be taken as an indication the one enjoying such fantasies would necesssarily ever want to take it into reality.
    But I would say that continuing to stand by the concept rape is or can be ''dignifying'' is a pretty dubious view.
    But...it might make you as attractive to Rihanna as a guy who beats her seems to be.;-)

    To most women though...such a statement should act as quite the red flag according to many a psychologist. I am going to go with the hope it's just youthful ignorance and bravura talking. :-)

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  19. LOL, I didn't mean I have rape fantasies, I mean I wonder why can't a man take no for an answer and move on with it and how does he feel when his job is done. And women really aren't my cup of tea...lol But Rihanna is just my love....lol
    Sorry, if I had you think that way about me...lol I should have worded that more crisply.

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  20. So DD,the above video..is that the first or the second one you saw?
    Because the present one doesn't strike me as worthy of ''trashy mess''

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  21. I think you realized what you were saying and are now trying to twist it into something else. Because no way could ''rape can be dignifying'' ever mean...'' I wonder why a man can't take no for an answer. And how he feels when his job is done''

    Anyway...lucky thing women are not your thing but I am not sure if that has any bearing on the view you were expressing. Man can be raped too bro. And it is no more dignifying to a man than it is to a woman. Nor is it some kind of proof of deep love whatever sex the rapist or the victim.

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  22. LOL, I know that, and I didn't realize what I typed until you replied and I reread it and like always, my thumbs typed a different message from what my mind was trying to portray.

    But seriously though, I don't have rape fantasies....I have some mighty strange other fantasies but not of rape....lol.... I would elaborate, but I think we've kind of like went too into details about some of the stuff here. ROFL

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  23. Yep, if she had just kept the original cut first here she would have garnered somewhat a level of respect, but then c'mon, its Rihanna. Anything that she does has to be of a controversial and tacky nature which is a shame as this is a rather pleasant song, wasted however.


    I long for the days before I started to intensely hate her, like the take a bow era where she delivered a ballad with class, guts and more importantly fully clothed (I have no bad feeling with those that remove their clothes as seen in the pre-edit here where she worked it into something of substance) but again she felt the need to over-sex it, turning it into something of a parody, sadly of herself.

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  24. Gosh you really hate her don't you?

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  25. I do and I don't think that I can use words strong enough to describe the magnitude of my feelings towards her. It's bizarre as there are not very many singers (or famous folks in general) out there that I feel this way about...

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  26. That's true. Although, those qualities matter more to you than they do to me :b

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  27. Yes, like yourself I cannot abide her either for this, I mean Madonna did the same thing but with a big difference, Madonna was actually very tongue in cheek whilst Rihanna goes all out in being offensive with her sexuality. I think if Rihanna could get away with it she would be doing unspeakable acts in her videos, without a doubt.

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  28. I agree with you. She dresses like a hooker 90% of the time, proudly flaunts drug usage, sings perverse things and just lacks class in general (walking around with a "cunt" necklace, really?). She's an unashamed hefty bag. Let's not forget her dating the man who mangled her face. She seriously has no redeeming qualities. I can't think of one positive thing she brings to the table. I don't care what anyone says when you reach a level of fame, especially with a lot of younger fans, you have a responsibility to be moral on SOME level. She just enjoys skimming the bottom. Then she acts so nonchalant about it all like she's above it. Spare me.

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  29. So confused, is the current a trashy mess?

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  30. Totally and thank you for making a comprehensive list of some of the reasons there, I am glad there is some of us here that see through her however, I just worry about the impressionable young fans out there that will see the way she conducts herself and (possibly) model themselves on her. But yes your are one hundred percent correct with your judgement there.

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  31. where's this video???

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  32. Aye Arthur, the present one is the final cut of the video, the previous one was a full on focus of Rihanna in the tub, concentrating mainly on her face and expressions. It came across as genuine and solemn. This new cut however is all about her usual, writhing around and "dead inside" facial expressions along with just about everything exposed (not unusual for her)

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  33. lol, yall make me feel guilty for liking her any....lol but I can't get enough of her...

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  34. I don't think it's trashy... at all.
    I think the description DD gave the previous video is pretty accurate for the current one. The video doesn't focus on her nudity. She's not flaunting anything, or acting trashy.
    To be trashy is to be overtly-sexual, and that's definitely not the case. I just see a sad girl rummaging in a tub.

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  35. Ah don't be mad, I wouldn't put anyone down for liking an artist. Each to their own and being honest there is plenty of folks I listen to and love that I know my friends for example do not like in the slightest lol it's what makes life (and the chat on here for sure) more interesting ;)

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  36. Perhaps, but for the literal context of the song, why would "a girl rummaging in a tub" be necessary? It comes down to Rihanna being that extremely sexual being, her previous releases and visuals speak for themselves, hence why we are all so quick to see that with her output...

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  37. It's not sexual though. She doesn't act sexual, she acts very desperate.
    I think this is the most honest and raw song, and music video she's ever done.

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  38. That depends entirely on your concept of honest and raw, this for me comes no-where near close to that description, its all subjective however, what I see you might not and vice versa.

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  39. After, talking with the people on this site about Rihanna...I need my fix on Jazzy...lol

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  40. I don't understand though, what about this music video strikes you as trashy?

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  41. As I said, the direction, the editing is totally uncalled for in regards to the sentiment of the song. There was absolutely no need for her to be naked in the bath, which is suspect where Rihanna is concerned as she is so extroverted to the extreme it smacks of a publicity cookie - there is strike one. Strike two would be the direction and angling of the camera work, scenes of being able to see just about every private area of her body makes it tacky in my book (which is why the first vid focusing mainly on her face and expressions was far more convincing in the delivery of emotion than this). The lack of focus on how she is supposedly feeling and straight on her body turns it from convincing to contrived, that however is my personal view and not everyone will agree with me there.


    I am also not going to lie, previous judgement of Rihanna and her works has skewed my perception of this video (the full cut) and the way in which it has been delivered. As DD noted the first unedited teaser gave us a glimpse of what I would like to see from her, the second is what I unfortunately have come to expect from her, a video of all style and no substance.

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  42. Yes, most of what matters a lot to me, matters little to nothing to you. It has been very clearly esablished Arhur. :-)

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  43. Ok I know I might be going back a few years now lol but here is a perfect example of displaying genuine emotion in an appropriate and believable fashion...I would have respected Rihanna has she shown the ability to tell the story in this kind of basic form, not that of basic instinct (so to speak) lol

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92cwKCU8Z5c&list=FLhoZ8VeKbSvg3YWQj9qmKoQ&index=62

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  44. I don't mean to interupt but I just found Jazmine Sullivan's mixtape, love and hate...this is R&B gold....Why didn't I discover this years ago....OMG.....I gotta do a vocal range vid for these songs...

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  45. Lol interesting excuse but still keeping my promise in mind, I am going to forego replying to it.

    I don't really care what you fantasize or not. I was responding more to you expressing the viewyou were expressing.

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  46. Haha no worries, being interrupted with such data is perfectly acceptable in my book! Jazmine is a fantastic singer! Is it a free download you speak of?

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  47. Yes but I can't find a safe download....I'm on youtube...I'll download them from youtube. lol

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  48. Haha I just realised "Jazzy" I wondered what you were going on about lol any other songs that you would recommend?

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  49. Would you prefer for her to be clothed in the bath? Lol.

    And granted, it shows her private parts (barely), but she's not flaunting them. That isn't the focus of the video.

    There are parts, especially in the end, where the video focuses on her face, and she has this stark and lonely expression. I thought it was beautiful to see. Everything worked for me, the nudity, the expressions, that bathtub... hot damn. I thought it was Rihanna at her most stripped down and raw. The human body is a beautiful thing you know :b

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  50. I don't think the images in themselves are trashy, but I agree, the choice of images combined with the song very much go to using sex to sell the single rather than ''sell'' the song itself. I personally wouldn't use the term trashy but I would call in cheap and superficial. Cheap and superficial are indeed many miles away from honest and raw. Unless we are speaking of an honest and raw expression of empty hunger for being talked about. ;-D

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  51. So far all of them I've listened to....Especially wasting tears.....that song has nothing but amazing belts that start at C#5 and go up to F5.....Most of the song is song in that key....Catalog Girl is amazing too.....very inspirational but a little repetitive.....I just got to in vain...I'll keep you posted..

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  52. Haha, yup.
    And I agree with your opinion, but I kind of like that in her.

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  53. Haha clothed or not (her body) does nothing for me, being that she does not possess the kind of anatomy or physique I am interested in.

    I think it could have worked for me, as I say had she kept the unedited version. On another topic her live performance of this at the Grammys was by far her best live performance ever (that I have witnessed that is)

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  54. In vain has some very amazing low notes...Bb2's...Eb3s....and more....wait...let me finish the song...

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  55. Awesome! Thanks for your randomness! Totally loving If This Is Love! :)

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  56. Right with you Stuey. I also rarely hate any singer/ ''star'' as much as I do this person.

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  57. Well said! This empty hunger will unfortunately keep on driving her down the path she is on until she either ends up consumed in her own abyss or the public in general got bored or pissed off with her....not sure which!

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  58. You're welcome.... I just got to her song Cocaine...I'm pleasently surprised although a bit over processed but very good...

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  59. Then you don't agree with my opinion arthur. As I am trying to express intense dislike.

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  60. I think your preconceived notions of Rihanna are causing you to feel this way about her. (Perfectly understandable of course) I don't think she's using sex, she's not flaunting anything, She's in a bathtub :b

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  61. Personally ...I don't care which it will be. ;-)

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  62. Haha well at least we know which ever one it happens to be, she can turn it into a smut-fest for others to vicariously gaze upon :D

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  63. Ehhh, but you can see where I'm coming from right?
    And yeah, she's getting a lot more confident live, plus her voice is getting better.

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  64. As a fan I can understand what you are seeing ect, but its not my viewpoint. I dont really know, I think its just because I am more of a vocal ability lover than an image cultivator. Probably why I dont hold a massive amount of love for others such as Gaga...

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  65. I agree with what you said her lacking class.

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  66. I care about vocals to you know? :b
    Vocally, there's nothing impressive about this song.

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  67. Haha I have no doubt you do, why would one be here otherwise. I agree where this song is concered, although for Rihanna this is what I would call a challenge (but that goes for only what I have heard from Rihanna - being I don't follow her work)

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  68. Sorry for enterupting again, but the entire mix tape was from F#2-G5. She only expanded her belting range and not her falsetto....Still one of the best mix tapes there are...jsut raw, raw, raw, vocals with amazing amazingness....

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  69. Ah no bother again dude, and thanks again for the break in the chat! It was rather refreshing :)

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  70. lol, anytime.

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  71. Opie...you just made it very dificult not to fantasize about that....lol you must be an expert at reverse psychology or something.....

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  72. Ehhhh, that might be true, when she performed it, it looked a little challenging for her. But she has more vocally songs. "Diamonds" for example, is a decently hard song to sing.

    This must be said though, she could not have sung this song at the beginning of her career.

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  73. The white bathtub was a bad choice- it emphasizes how she's lightened her skin over the years. In fact, I've only just noticed it.


    So many black girls lightening their skin- Rihanna, Nicki, Beyonce- so very sad.

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  74. Hey.......I never showed you my video...

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  75. I agree there, I remember the first single she dropped here in the UK and there is a marked change in the quality of her voice, studio wise anyway! She could never had delivered what she does now.

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  76. I watched a documentary regarding skin lightening products, although it was more aimed at the asian market than the african-american communities. I think its a shame that people would feel the need to use such destructive materials on their bodies, and minds too for that matter! I think yet again the media holds responsibility there. However in the Asian societies it was clear that the (some - not all) societies believed to be whiter is prettier or more attractive - which in technical terms is complete bollocks!

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  77. I have no ''preconceived notions' on Rihanna. I have the conclusion I drew.
    But that has little to do with the critique on this video.
    I criticized the use of gratuitous nudity and guns/violence before. Many have for many decades.
    And this is such a case. But if Stuey's explanation wasn't clear enough, I don't know how to be any clearer. The lyrical content simply indicates no need for nudity like depicted in the video. Hence it is gratuitous. Stuey calls that practice of gratuitous nudity trashy, I call it cheap and superficial.

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  78. Yes, Asian girls are also lightening their skin. The epidemic is particularly notable in Korea and Japan, although others do indulge.

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  79. Such a shame, that kind of pressure to look a certain way whether it be internally or societal cannot be healthy.

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  80. Again...it's a common harmless fantasy and I don't care. :-)
    Rape fantasies were not what I responded to. I just said they don't ''weird me out'' like you thought they might.

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  81. I think in Asian cultures, unlike African-American, the idea goes to financial status. It doesn't stem from caucasian dominance but from the rich, upper class having paler skin because they didn't labor outdoors.

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  82. I see, another strong argument in the "money is the root of all evil" claim!

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  83. Lol more like status is the root of all evil. ( funnily enough status was of course also at the root of that concept ''evil'' itself ;-D )

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  84. Haha well if I ever win the lottery and become sickeningly rich I will just have to keep my gob closed and not flaunt it, then I shall remain "good"? Here is hoping (that I win the lottery to find out)

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  85. Sounds like a preconceived notion to me.
    Anyways, this video has no gratuitous nudity. I can definitely see why she chose to be nude for this music video. It represents kind've a broken down person. Especially being in the bath tub and all.
    If she were selling sex, she'd have to be sexy. This is not a sexy music video by any means. The most nudity it shows is her butt, which is very hard to see through the water.
    But I do agree with you, selling sex in music is a common practice. I just don't think Rihanna did it in this particular instance.

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  86. I will help you hope you'll win the lottery Stuey. :-)
    But what I really was refering to was that god concept of some superior to Man ruler as well as the story of the fallen angel.

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  87. put it up on chat!

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  88. Oh right, forgive me lol its 04:25 am and my brain is not quite fully engaged in the basics of thought, speech or basic communication lol


    The religion debate might send me off to sleep though lol I have already consigned myself to a life of science though, thankfully! I dont think I could live by the rules or guides of some exceptionally biased written texts based on said superior man or fallen angel lol

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  89. No debate. We seem to agree.

    Funny because it's probably the lateness of the hour which is to blame for the jump my brain made in order to come up with that, trying to be clever, remark.

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  90. Absolutely, the remark was on the money though. More than can be said of myself!


    I had the pleasure of going to a roman catholic primary school, and I am not going to lie as a child I was into it, then I grew up and luckily for me I had a wise enough streak to know the clear reality. I was lucky however and that phase as a child did not last long. Its those poor individuals that get so absorbed in it, I have indeed met people like Carrie Whites mother in Stephen Kings 'Carrie' funnily enough lol, its just plain wrong and quite frankly, bloody crazy lol

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  91. Then it seems the difference between preconceived notion and conclusion drawn is not clear to you.

    And no, we are not saying she is selling sex. We are saying she is using sex to sell music. These are two entirely different things.
    Nudity means no clothes.

    But I agree. I too find nothing sexy about this video...it's of Rihanna. Hahaha

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  92. No need to feel guilty about being suckered as a child...that's when all religions get you and they know it and work on the basis of that knowledge.
    I've met fanatics from different religions. Also met good religious people from different religions. :-)

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  93. Well, if you leave a corpse in a bathtub for long enough, it will decompose, and organic material will break off the body, and into the water.


    So literally a "broken down person".

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  94. Lol and here comes out my inner bitch.....I bet in this case that your description would by far be sexier....

    http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lv98gbKYSt1qff8hqo1_500.gif

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  95. Frankly, i'm not surprised that you like that lack of self-respect in women.

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  96. Lol you and black robin can write a crime novel together. Please let Rihanna be the woman in the bath there as well. ;-)

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  97. 100% what I meant stuey! Thanks for reading my mind. @1c3ef186623ab60985621958a5460049:disqus I think I might have been a bit harsh with the revised comment. I might soften/ expand on it, but it was my an immediate reaction to the disappointment I felt.

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  98. I think the camera angles and certain scenes give it a voyerisistic/sexual undercurrent.

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  99. yep, there was a sexuality here that was not present in the original video. It's just a let down when I've seen that the song could have been sold so convincingly without it. [I'm going to try finding that other video and posting above]

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  100. Yes, I'd be curious to see that one. Must be quite the difference if the above one inspired such disappointment in you. :-)

    On an unrelated note, especially after seeing several reviews on Grammy performances, kind of surprised none for Kelly. Are you planning a review?

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  101. If you a draw conclusion, and you use this conclusion as your premise in an argument, then it is a preconceived notion.

    And oops, my bad. Thank God she's not selling sex, haha. Regardless, I don't feel as if she is using sex to sell this music video.

    And do you really want me to get analytical about this music videos?

    And haha :b you are really repulsed by Rihanna aren't you?

    But anyways, I, along with many others, interpret it as a sad woman. How you choose interpret it as your business :b

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  102. I didn't know she performed!! Will check it out!

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  103. You can find a link in your mailbox. Well two actually. Though not suitable for a diva review blog, I also sent a link to the Jack White performance for your private, hopefully, enjoyment. :-)

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  104. That's perfectly understandable!

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  105. I meant the preconceived notion you had of Rihanna before watching the video. It makes you judge her more harshly. A preconceived notion isn't necessarily inadequately reasoned, I'm sure you have a good reason to hate her.

    I was not being sarcastic when I said that. When I think of someone selling sex, I think of prostitution, lol, I should've worded that better. Like I said before, I think using sex to sell music is a common practice, but I don't see it here.

    I thought you wanted me to analyze the video, and thus tell you why I thought she resembled a broken down woman in this video. Well, she looked rather sad. The expressions on her face were mesmerizing. She seemed so desperate. Also, there was the bath tub, which I thought resembled Rihanna trying to relax, and think. The way she was moving in the tub suggested she was nervous.

    Yes, I am surprised. I think she's beautiful. I can see why you don't like her personality though.

    And I said that last comment in response to the videos you linked. You said those were examples of a broken down woman. This of course implies that the "Stay" video is not a good example. I said it was my interpretation.

    And yes I did, I apologize for not acknowledging them! The Abba one Stuey linked to me I thought was very good. I was never a very big fan, but I liked the song. However, I thought the song was a little too uptempo to display a broken down woman. I thought she was sad, not desperate though. The Allison Krauss video, I thought was a little too obscure. I really liked the song, but the music video didn't really show a broken down woman. The concept of her going to the house through me off. "Anyone Who Had A Heart" I thought was brilliant. I loved loved loved the song, and equally loved loved loved the music video.

    However, what sets the "Stay" music video apart for me, is Rihanna's nakedness, not how it turns me on, but how it shows she's trying to cleans herself from her guilt, or whatever she was feeling. I also thought her facial expressions were sublime.

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  106. This is winter time in America, everyone lightens up, even those of African decent.
    I myself go from a dark golden brown to borderline white during the transitions from Summer to Fall, and from Fall to Winter, and I am of African and Hispanic decent and have never used any skin lightening products.


    Those who aren't very dark to begin with, like Rihanna, Nicki, Beyonce will see their skin colour fluctuate seasonally just like anyone else. I'm not saying they haven't, but just because someone who was never that dark to begin with lightens up means that they have bleached their skin :)


    But Rihanna appears to be very close to the same colour as she was when she was 15 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTtMXLe5z3Y .

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  107. My view on Rihanna prior to viewing this video was no preconceived notioneither. It was also an opinion based on adequate evidence.
    The reason I watched the video DD was so disappointed in and called trashy. I actually said to both him and Stuey that I would not describe it as trashy. I do and have called Rihanna trashy many times based on adequate evidence. You in fact agreed she is.
    I have also criticized similar videos by other artists for the same reason.
    This is very clearly NOT a case of ''preconceived notions''
    Please do me a favor and before repeating this incorrect accusation a third time...look up the correct definition.

    Yes, the wording was confusing.

    No, I didn't want you to analyse the video. I was hoping you could anwer the simple and literal question '' how does the taking of a bath indicate a broken down woman?"
    You now speak of her facial expressions. One hardly needs to be in a bath tub to display facial expressions.

    I am afraid you totally missed the point of the videos. It wasn't the songs but a demonstration that there are many different ways one can depict a broken down woman without that woman showing a lot of nudity.
    Of course many of those are therefor more subtly, tastefully and consequently more imaginatively done.
    Which brings us back to the criticism on Rihanna's video...it lacks those qualities.
    Of course the more subtle, the harder to see for some.

    And just because you think Rihanna is beautiful, doesn't mean everybody thinks so. Besides which beauty in itself does not make one sexually interesting. I experience neither with Rihanna. Her forehead seems out of proportion to the rest of her face, her eyes look cold to me, her mouth annoyingly pouty, her facial expression is usually what I interpret as obnoxuosly arrogant and she is too skinny for my taste. And I find her character, behavior and general trashiness far from sexy attributes.

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  108. I must agree I am black and the same happens to me

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  109. In the winter, I turn orange...In the summer I turn burnt orange....everyone goes through this change due to a lower need to produce melanin in the winter, due to a variety of reasons. The days are shorter. There is less radiation beaming on us, or a lack of vitamin D in their diet. For me it's not so drastic but for people like my cousins in Louisiana, it's drastic. In the winter, they can be mistaken for white people but in the summer, they look biracial, which they are. Strange but true. I even have a biracial friend ( I call her cheese cake to be racist lol) that looks much brighter due to it being winter down here in the south.

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  110. I see. Perhaps Rihanna hasn't lightened her skin after all.

    Nicki on the other hand...definitely has. I used Mariah as a gauge- in UOMF, Nicki was darker than mimi. Now, she's lighter.

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  111. It looks like she didn't find love in this place :)

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  112. I think Nicki did

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  113. Haha no problems, if only I had fully functioning telepathy though, life would be a million times easier! ;)

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  114. Both of these ladies sounded incredible here! :)

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  115. I believe Nicki has, I don't watch her enough to really gauge it out. But she seems unnaturally paler.

    I'm iffy about Beyonce, she seems to fluctuate in colour like any regular person. Although in her professional photos they definitely lighten her up a bit, especially her L'Oreal images. But they do that to everyone of colour that models for them.

    I personally feel Rihanna hasn't lightened her skin. She seems to naturally flux and flow in that department.

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  116. Nicki looks pasty to me....I hope it is like this new type of body foundation she uses...but it seems to me she actually beielves she's barbie. lol I still lover her though.

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  117. When looking up the definition for preconceived notion, I see that it implies a lack of information is gathered to form an opinion. I did not use the word in its best context, I used it more literally. In that it is a notion that you preconceived, made prior to something. So if you'd like me to phrase it better, the opinion you have formed of Rihanna prior to this video makes it so that you judge her in a harsh manner.

    To answer that question, one would have to explain their answer. The only way to explain my answer was to refer to the video, and interpret some parts (analyzing it).

    I'm afraid I did not miss the point of the videos. I told you that I thought Abba didn't do a very good job, Allison Krauss didn't do a very good job, and that Shleby Lynne did a great job. Yes, that is true, there are ways to show a broken down woman without showing nudity, I never said there wasn't. I thought that using nudity in the manner Rihanna's director did in this video was brilliant in depicting Rihanna as broken down. I don't think those videos were more subtle or tasteful. Again, that's my interpretation. You seem to be be living in a PG world Opie, where the slightest bit of nudity is deemed as distasteful.
    And don't put words in my mouth. I never said everyone should think she's beautiful. I was surprised to find out you did not she was beautiful.

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  118. No,considering how deeply I hate Rihanna, I think my opinion on this video was hardly harsh. I simply agreed with DD except he initially was more harsh. I agree the nudity in this form is meant to show of her body more than to depict emotions.

    If anybody is showing preconceived notions arthur, it is you.
    Because even though made clear twice, those links were not about who did it 'better''. They were intended to demonstrate how many different ways there are to depict emotion in a music video. And yes, nudity is one of them. But all you can do is 'defend' Rihanna's video by talking about which video did a better job.

    The problem with nudity is that, unless placed in proper context, it quickly becomes circumspect. Usually that choice is guided by other than purely artistic motivation.
    Rihanna's video looks to be a victim of that.

    Your notion I think nudity is always distasteful...now that is a fine example of preconceived notion for sure. There is no evidence to that effect. In fact, based on the evidence available, you rationally,should have come to the conclusion this is not what inspires my view. Yet you have been hinting and now plainly claiming that. It's not correct. ''My world'' has no problem with nudity in itself, nor with the use of nudity in art.

    And yes,you most certainly seem to think everyone thinks she is beautiful. Why else would you be surprised I, someone who hates her and said she is not sexy , do not think she is. if not because you assumed in spite of my feelings I would agree with you?

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  119. I have never watched this video until you posted the one you saw first. Yes, it's much better. Simple and very convincing. The one released officially is just crappy. I was bored of her music until Diamonds bought something fresh to me (from her) and then it got so over-played it SUCKED. All her videos were terrible since S&M, imo. Some sucked even before. I'm really just tired of her. Someone get this overused donkey outta the industry! Go wish her luck not getting hit by Chris Brown again.

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  120. Humans, are all root of evil. People can put good use for money. Don't blame the money, blame the people using the money for bad reasons.

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  121. The expression means money is more likely to cause people to do bad things as well as enables people to do more bad things than say..chocale chip cookies. ;-D

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  122. Regardless of the extent of harshness you used to judge her, it is still more harsh than say if you were judging an Allison Krauss video of the same content.
    And me declaring which video did a better job is besides the point. Clearly by acknowledging each individual video, I accepted the fact that they all depicted emotion.
    Anyways, I thought the nudity was placed in proper context. Again, this is my interpretation of the song and the music video. Therefore, my point stands.
    But I do have a good source of evidence. You are literally criticizing a video with nudity RIGHT NOW. The evidence is in front of you.
    And I most certainly don't. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. If you don't think Rihanna is beautiful, then that's great. You are free to think whatever you want about Rihanna. Is it now clear to you that I don't everyone should think she's beautiful?
    And how on Earth did you come to that conclusion? You haven't asked me once what I thought about the song itself?

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  123. You make very little sense anymore.

    For one thing..if Alison Krauss would present herself in videos the way Rihanna does..I most certainly would make the same point about gratuitous nudity. And it is the gratuitous aspect which has been my point all along.
    So NO, you do not have any evidence for my supposedly thinking all nudity in videos is ''distateful''.

    Indeed, THAT's what I said, you talking about wich video you thought best is beside the point. Reason, third time now, for the links was to demonstrate different ways to depict emotions in videos without taking one's clothes off. Not that they were about emotion but what visual aids they used to depict those emotions.
    Please read more carefully. I didn't say that you thought I SHOULD find her beautiful. I said that your surprise over my not thinking so was caused by you thinking I WOULD.

    And that ''btw'' of my post ...again, like with the links, doesn't go to whether you like the song. No doubt you think it as ''sublime'' as you consider this very average video to be.
    The point was that half the emotions you so imaginaively are reading into the video actually have nothing to do with the lyrical content.
    This song is just about two people attracted to eachother, not sure how to feel about it but yet desiring the relationship to continue because it fills some ''hole'' in them.

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  124. Anyway...you made it clear you love this video and find no fault with it.
    I think it's a pretty average video with the typical gratuitous use of a female's naked body one would expect of a Rihanna and others of her ilk.
    And I specify female because even though it is sung as a duet in which the male is feeling the same emotions...we see him fully clothed sitting on the edge of a tub and wandering through the room fully clothed.

    So we have different opinions. I am afraid you will just have to accept it. :-)

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  125. You think I have a problem accepting that? Okay Opie. Cause that's not what I've been saying for the past day, lol

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  126. Considering you started arguing the opinions of anybody critisizing the one particular aspect of this video. And continued to do some for some time with arguments mostly not going to the aspect criticized? Yes...I do think you are having a hard time accepting that. :-)

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  127. Maybe it's you just not understanding. I think I've made myself very clear.

    I think you just contradicted yourself there friend."if Alison Krauss would present herself in videos the way Rihanna does [nude]..I most certainly would make the same point about gratuitous nudity". So clearly, you've just said you do have a problem with nudity in music videos. So yes, I do have evidence to show you think nudity in music videos are distasteful.

    Me saying which video is best was a sub-point Opie. I already AGREED with you when I said, "Yes, that is true, there are ways to show a broken down woman without showing nudity". Before you call me out on something, make sure you're right to do so.

    Anyways, you said, "yes,you most certainly seem to think everyone thinks she is beautiful." Which is not the case. I was surprised when you said you didn't find her attractive. In a previous post, you thought Beyonce was attractive despite not liking her. So naturally, I thought the same sentiment would be shared for Rihanna, but apparently not.

    I interpreted it differently than you Opie. That's what you have to understand! Not everyone thinks like you. While you think the video is average, I think it is great (BTW, the general critical reception from the music video is very similar to my reception). While you think the song is about " two people attracted to eachother, not sure how to feel about it but yet desiring the relationship to continue because it fills some ''hole'' in them." I think it's about failing to resist love, maybe it has something to do with Chris Brown. IDK, none of know the true meaning, only Rihanna does. So all we can do is interpret.

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  128. My intent when arguing is not to change anyone's opinion, it is to understand where they are coming from. I wanted to know why you thought what you thought. So no, I've accepted your opinion when this argument started Opie.

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  129. Lol are you questioning my intelligence? ;-

    I am not going to argue with you who is having ttrouble understanding what the other is saying. I am just going to repeat for the third time that the subject wasn't nudity but GRATUITOUS nudity.
    So no, I did not contradict myself.

    And yes, if you assume that me considering Beyonce, who looks entirely different and who I critisized for something entirely different, beautiful, makes it likely I think Rihanna is beautiiful...like I said, that is a textbook example of a ''preconceived notion''. The fact that they look very different and what I critisized Beyonce for, negate the occassion of my calling Beyonce beautiiful completely as ''adequate evidence'' for your assumption.

    And also again...I did not start arguing your opinion. YOU started arguing Stuey and I.
    Even then, read my replies to you again arthur. At no point did I argue your opinion on the video. What I have been doing is correcting your inaccurate use/understanding of the term ''preconceived notion'' , correcting incorrect claims and assumptions you made regarding my person, answering your direct questions and trying to get an answer on questions asked of you. Which unfortunately often takes a couple of posts.

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  130. No you didn't and you don't. If that was true you would respond on point,and to argument with counter argument rather than argument not to point.
    For one, it is abundantly clear you after all this are still clueless as to ''where I'm coming from''. To the point that you don't even get it's not abut nudity in itself. And really...I could not have been clearer on that point then I was. Nobody could have.
    But thanks..very gratifying to see you have taken to quoting my on words to me. :-)

    The upshot of it all arthur is...we disagree. And you still don't know how and why.

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  131. I think it's funny how you're trying to tell me what MY intent is. I think the only person who knows the answer to that is me, and I'm telling you I've accepted your point already.
    And if it's not about nudity, then what is it about? From the beginning, that's what you were commenting on.
    And I don't think you understood me. I wanted to know why you didn't like the music video, which you've made clear.

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  132. How can you claim to ''accept'' my point while in the next sentence stating you don't know what my point is. Obviously you don't even accept it's not about nudity in itself. As I have now stated half a dozen times. Last time I even use capitals to try and get through to you what the point is.
    You either don''t understand or choose to continue ignoring the term gratuitous.

    Your words of ''accepting'' and desiring to understand the other's point of view are empty. You say one thing and do another. Sometimes in the very next sentence. Clearly, you either do, in fact, not know your own intent, or you are lying.
    Either way...I am done with talking to a wall.

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  133. Indeed, its also very true what David Attenborough stated, humans are indeed a plague on this earth...

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  134. Well, but in the end it's the human mind's that disgusting. Yes, including mine. LOL.

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  135. Lol Ricky, you'll get no argument from me regarding the pathetic state of the human race.

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  136. Ain't it funny and ironic we're part of it? <3

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  137. Seeing as everything she does, says, wears, and sings about it created for her by her label, I have a hard time ever taking her emotions seriously. I have to say, though, she's a great actress when it comes to "feeling" a song she had absolutely no input in.

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  138. Hey, I'm trying to rise above that. Or at least pretend I am. ;-D

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  139. I like sexual expression.
    Not only when women do it, but also when men do it.

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  140. Sad to say, I too have now succumbed to that pressure. I've purchased a bottle of sunblock, an exfoliant, and BB cream. I'm waiting till my tan fades and I am once again pale.


    Just wanted to broadcast that tidbit :)

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