Since its recent release, Miley Cyrus’s new music video, “Wrecking Ball,” has stirred controversy and gossip across multiple media platforms.
Despite the wide range of reactions (primarily negative), “Wrecking Ball,” the second single off Miley’s newest album Bangerz, the YouTube sensation has broken nearly every YouTube recod. The clip garnered 12.3 million views within the first day, and now stands at over 122 million hits.
Its sexually suggestive themes and unusual filming tactics make for an overall bizarre viewing experience.
The video begins with some close-up shots of Cyrus singing to the camera with tears streaming down her face, then cuts to different scenes of her walking around with a sledgehammer, before moving to even more shots of her molesting a sledgehammer, and then she suddenly appears nude while swinging from an oversized wrecking ball.
The tone Cyrus sets in the beginning with her tears and dramatic, red lipstick is negated 48 seconds in, when she begins felating a sledgehammer. At this point, the video becomes immensely bizarre and unsettling. There is no shortage of swinging, gyrating and writhing, all of which detract from the video’s overall quality and song lyrics.
There are two contrasting emotional themes in this video: one portrays a profound, traumatic heartbreak and another portrays a sexual promise that seems misplaced in a ballad about romantic tragedy.
The primary problem with this video is Miley’s attempt to be simultaneously moving, sexy and edgy. Unfortunately, this comes off as very artificial.
This music video could have all of the right components of a great one, but major editing of the hypersexual behavior is necessary.
Upon first glance, the production promises to be artistic and beautiful with its close-up shots of the artist’s face, red and white color contrast and set destruction.
The dramatic, red splashes amongst the white background symbolize the painful wounds that have come to stain her innocence. The cinderblock walls surrounding Cyrus represent the defensive guard she’s built in order to protect herself, either from the public’s prying eyes or from the effects of a downward spiraling relationship.
When the wrecking ball begins smashing into the walls, Miley is left vulnerable and exposed. She is portrayed as a victim, suffering from external powers larger and stronger than her own.
Yet, Cyrus is along for the ride (literally straddling the wrecking ball and riding its movement). She is affected by the damage all around her, covering her ears and eyes in fear, but ultimately manages to adapt.
Soon enough, she joins in the destruction, choosing to tear down the walls and finally break free on her own terms.
These underlying messages are easy enough to extrapolate, but Cyrus overshadows what could have been a beautiful message with a hyper-sexuality that makes the video uncomfortable to watch.
By distracting her audience with strip teases, tongue action and suggestive positions, she sacrifices any larger message that could have corresponded with the lyrics.
In the end, Cyrus needed the spotlight on her newly found bodily confidence and role as a sexual fantasy.
If the viewer looks beyond the distracting and inappropriate elements and media backlash, then “Wrecking Ball” is actually a very moving song.
At its core, it is an emotional power ballad about being absolutely destroyed in a relationship, and the need to openly express one’s feelings. It is a good — possibly a great — song.
Unfortunately, it remains overshadowed by the craziness that is the “Wrecking Ball” music video.
At the end of the day, her sexually unusual and over the top behavior is what it will be remembered for.
