Beyonce - If i were a boy

Beyonce – If I were a boy.

This music video is shown to be a narrative based music video, including a visual storyline that features the artist as the “protagonist” of the narrative, with visuals that parallel a short film which matches the relevant messages in the song’s lyrics.

The music video starts off with no music, initially displaying just a medium shot of Beyoncé and another man, who proceed to say the words; “intimacy, honesty, commitment, you, me and us”. After the two finish speaking these words the music starts, and as expected so does the music video which accompanies the song. The words spoken by the two are words that are commonly attributed to what makes a health relationship, and it is said directly to the viewer. This is done to essentially directly address the viewer and to set up the subject that the music video aims to tackle; relationships. This also serves to imply that the two are in a relationship, and the music video will use them as examples of a relationship.

The entire music video is filmed in black and white, with absolutely no colour in the entire music video, this stylistic choice creates a dramatic yet sophisticated atmosphere for the music video, reflecting the serious tones that it aims to tackle. The shots following this depict Beyonce and her significant other with yet another medium shot, and shows them putting plates on the table. A similar shot following this shows a zoomed in version of the previous shot, allowing the viewer to get a better glance at the table and realise that they are preparing breakfast, implying that these two live together and must be an established couple.

Afterwards; Beyonce leaves the house wearing a police uniform, with a panning shot that leads her to a police car with another person in a police uniform inside. The man in the car is implied to be her work partner based off his uniform and that they’re getting into a car together. The fact that Beyonce is wearing a police uniform serves to challenge the gender stereotypes of employment, as typically men are the primary gender to be working as police officers or any other kind of enforcement.

Beyonce and her co-worker are seen talking to one another; and while no dialogue can be heard their expressions are shown to be positive so that the viewer can infer that they are laughing amongst one another and that they have a health rapport with each other. A few medium shots depict Beyonce smiling and standing with her co-worker and several other police officers, enjoying herself amongst them. Beyonce seems to be the only female police officer amongst them, further emphasising how she is unique for challenging the gender stereotype of police enforcement, this also serves to emphasise her as an individual, making the viewer focus on her more.

A close up shot of Beyonce’s police partner shows him intently

looking at something, shown by his fixated gaze. This naturally entices the viewer’s attention as we want to see what he sees. The following shots is a shot reverse shot which reveals to the viewer that the officer is actually looking at Beyonce as she interrogates somebody in a car we assume they pulled over for some sort of violation. The lingering focus on Beyonce and the shot reverse shot of her partners face connotes to the viewer that his gaze may be romantic, and that he is interested in her. The shot immediately following this displays Beyonce’s boyfriend in a completely different setting to Beyonce, dressed up in a suit with a laptop at a desk, which we can infer is his workplace. This further serves to challenge the gender normative of job professions, as women are typically shown in office settings while men are typically shown to be police officers, showing a role reversal in this couple’s professions.

Soon after we see Beyonce’s significant other, we see a woman trying to get his attention, and while he does acknowledge her, his gaze seems transfixed on his laptop screen. A following shot reveals to us that the laptop screen has several pictures of extravagant jewellery on the screen, which immediately connotes to the viewer that he may be buying a gift for Beyonce, due to the fact that jewellery is commonly an appropriate gift for women. This

further connotes to the viewer that this man is loyal to his partner and only has eyes for her, on top of the fact that he did not provide a lingering glance to his co-worker at all, implying he has no feelings for her.

Later, Beyonce and her boyfriend are shown reunited at a party together, with Beyonce wearing a pair of new earrings that we can infer are a pair her boyfriend bought for her online. A shot reverse shot of Beyonce’s boyfriend shows him looking at beyonce as she dance’s almost seductively with her police officer co-worker, and after they lock eyes, Beyonce stops. This connotes to the viewer that Beyonce immediately feels guilty or at least uncomfortable by the fact that she was caught dancing like that with another man, and her boyfriend rejects her attempts at an apology; providing a dramatic atmosphere.

Afterwards there is a shot of both of them together at home, and the music from the music video has ended. The two exchange dialogue about how the man is uncomfortable with the way Beyonce acts with other men, to which she replies mockingly about how he shouldn’t be worried because it’s not like they’re sleeping together. After this, her boyfriend asks “what?” and the dialogue pauses, and suddenly Beyonce is the one asking “what?” and her boyfriend is the one stating that she shouldn’t be worried because it’s not as if he’s sleeping with the girl. At this very moment there is a role reversal, switching the positions of the two as they have been through the whole music video. This connotes to the viewer that throughout the music video we have viewing an alternate version of reality, where their roles are switched, and the name of the song “If I were a boy” dawns upon the viewer. The music video challenges the gender stereotypes and tackles the issue of concerns of cheating within a relationship, and how there is a double standard of women “overreacting” when suspicious of a cheating lover, while men are free to be suspicious without ridicule.