A good music video is an art form in and of itself. Weaving sound, cinematography, choreography, and narrative into one brief package is no small feat. So what exactly does it take to make a solid music video? In this episode of Playback, we give Rico Nasty a chance to answer that question.
Rico Nasty has been known to push the boundaries of both genre and fashion, "blending bubblegum and bullets like a hardcore Powerpuff Girl," as the rapper's Spotify profile describes her. So it's only fitting that her music videos reflect her eclectic tastes.
In the latest episode of Playback, Rico walks us through the makings of the two music videos for her hit singles, "Roof" and "Popstar." In the process, she spills the details on how the lo-fi cyberpunk sets came to life.
Watch the music videos below and read on for a rundown of the visuals.
On the Multiple Outfit Changes in "Roof" …
She knew from the start that she wanted the music video's aesthetics to have a "cyber vaporwave future retro" vibe, reminiscent of the 1997 sci-fi film The Fifth Element. "I think my biggest thing was coming into my fashion and my hair, and doing my own makeup. That was what was more important to me," she says.
She adds that she would constantly be changing outfits in "weird places," from a public restroom to a car. "It's crazy now that I think about it with coronavirus and everything," she says, "but we would literally use the world as our playground. If we had a blanket, then I would get dressed in broad daylight. … And that's how we rocked with it."
In any music video, though, Rico emphasizes the importance of a distinct style. "Fashion itself—if there is no fashion, I feel like the music video is gonna be dry," she says.
On the Punk Rock Influences in "Popstar" …
"I think the idea was built around what I was wearing," says Rico of the music video for "Popstar." "I had just cut my mullet, and I was going for the really punk rock vibes. I was like, 'Yeah, can we make this aesthetically pleasing? Like, can we just make it cute?'"
The video's aesthetics were also influenced by the Sex Pistols' subversive cover art, which Rico calls "the newspaper-cutout font, the ransom font." For a finishing touch, Rico sketched random doodles that appear as mini animations throughout the video.
Watch the full Playback episode above to see what else went on behind the scenes.
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As an associate editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com, Chelsey keeps a finger on the pulse on all things celeb news. She also writes on social movements, connecting with activists leading the fight on workers' rights, climate justice, and more. Offline, she’s probably spending too much time on TikTok, rewatching Emma (the 2020 version, of course), or buying yet another corset.
