Video Analysis: Beyoncé – UPGRADE U feat. JAY Z

Generic Codes and ConventionsGenre:R&B/RapAlbumB’DaySingle?Promotional Single (not released to radio)Release Year2007

There are lots of expensive items in the video e.g. Jewellery and cars. She dances and moves sexually throughout the video to sell the song.

She is portrayed as an attractive dancer with good vocals.  The song features a rap from JAY Z and Beyoncé imitates his part (lip syncs to his part of the song) which subverts conventions of an R&B female singer.

Beyoncé being feminine an dancing feminine (herself)

Beyoncé being masculine and portraying her husband JAY Z

The song wasn’t released as a single however the video gained attention for it (over 60 million views)

Form of Music Video

The video is performance based. Throughout the whole video we see Beyoncé dancing/moving to the song, she is covered in oil to made to look attractive to the audience.

When it comes to JAY Z’s part in the song Beyoncé switches personalities and lip-syncs the rap. This could be a feminist concept e.g. She’s playing the role of the man/ acting like a man but at the same time being an attractive woman. JAY Z later appears in the video sat down to perform the rest of the rap.

CinematographyThe camera is always focused on Beyoncé. At the very beginning of the video there are many close up shots of her face and jump-cuts to shots of her in different hairstyles/makeup.

Close up shots at the beginning

Throughout the video the camera focuses more on her and her body.In certain scenes the camera tends to move around random places which gives it an abstract feel.

Full body shots throughout the video

Relationship between sound and imageBeyoncé is always singing when she is seen in the video, as well as JAY Z. The song title is “Upgrade U” and the message of the song is basically that Beyoncé could upgrade a man who is with her

“Partner let me upgrade youAudemars Piguet youSwitch your neckties to purple labels-Partner let me upgrade youFlip a new pageIntroduce you to some new things &Upgrade you”

The lyrics reference to expensive things e.g. Audemars Piguet watches and Purple Label shirts. The visuals in the video link to the lyrics because they show lots of expensive things like gold, jewellery and cars. Beyoncé’s back-up dancers are dressed as servants e.g. Beyoncé is rich.

Mise-en-sceneBeyoncé and JAY Z are probably wearing very expensive clothes. They also have expensive accessories like watches and sunglasses.

Part of the set is water, this could be to make Beyoncé appear more attractive and sell the music.

Also there is an inside of a very expensive leather car (Beyoncé is seen putting her feet on the expensive leather, like she has endless money and if it get’s ruined it won’t affect her)

Editing, effects and audienceThroughout the video there are lots of split-second jump cuts that portray Beyoncé in different ways.The shots move in time with the music.

There are no major effects in the video, however there is a lot of fading out which introduces the viewer to a new scene.

The video is clearly intended to appeal to men because of how she is portrayed attractively however with the help of JAY Z, Beyoncé has become a huge success globally so the video would probably appeal to young girls mainly, however also some young boys, who enjoy her music.

Institutions and Audience

The video was directed by Melina Matsoukas.Beyoncé is signed to Columbia, a division of SONY MUSIC. She rose to success with the help of her husband, JAY Z, which is why he appears in the video. Also if you look at many of her early singles, Jay Z appears on lots of them (Crazy In Love, Welcome To Hollywood, Upgrade U and Deja Vu as some examples)

Audience

The video is clearly intended to appeal to men because of how she is portrayed attractively however with the help of JAY Z, Beyoncé has become a huge success globally so the video would probably appeal to young girls mainly, however also some young boys, who enjoy her music.

RepresentationsGender: Beyoncé is proud of her body throughout the video and isn’t afraid to show people. Although not clear in the video, from research, Beyoncé is very proud to be a feminist

Ethnicity: Beyoncé and JAY Z are both from an African-American descent and make this clear through the genre of the music, R&B and rap.