Rihanna gets super-duper dramatic and left the whips and chains behind with mostly raw, black-and-white visuals for No.1 hit, "Diamonds," the Sia-penned first single from the Barbadian singer's upcoming seventh album "Unapologetic," due to come out November 19. The half black-and-white, half 'in the wild' visual is a departure from the 24-year-old Sultry songstress' more story-driven videos and instead focuses on visually stunning shots of Rihanna amidst chaos.
"Diamonds" is a mid-tempo ballad with influences of electronic and soul music. It features drums, heavy synthesizers, a 1980s backbeat, orchestral sounds and electronic rhythms which makes a lyrical departure from Rihanna's recurring theme of an unhealthy relationship, and towards a softer and more prolific edge with a prominent concept of a bright love. Rihanna described the track as "happy and hippy rather than dancey... The lyrics are very hopeful and positive, but it's about love."
While the song seems to hint at Rihanna's ongoing maturation and happiness in a new relationship, the video works overtime at creating a mood, one that amplifies the song's laid-back, luxurious sonics. The result is both incredibly intimate and wide-screen public, which come to think of it, is sort of like the song itself. Speaking to MTV News, Rihanna explained the concept behind the video explaining that with different abstract scenes she wanted to give the audience the right emotion across throughout the song.
The Anthony Mandler-helmed gray washed clip, is full of dreamy and surreal shoots and plays more like a visual poem, opens with Rihanna rolling up a joint made of diamonds much like the single's cover art and ends with her adrift at sea. As she smokes them, a more dramatic seen takes place with Rihanna running from a car. The beauty looks afraid in the chase leads the singer to stunning view of aurora borealis in the sky. She later finds herself in more chaotic situations, including a crumbling room and an intense riot scene. Despite all going wrong around her, Rihanna continues to hold her lover's hand and shines brights.
"Diamonds" is a mid-tempo ballad with influences of electronic and soul music. It features drums, heavy synthesizers, a 1980s backbeat, orchestral sounds and electronic rhythms which makes a lyrical departure from Rihanna's recurring theme of an unhealthy relationship, and towards a softer and more prolific edge with a prominent concept of a bright love. Rihanna described the track as "happy and hippy rather than dancey... The lyrics are very hopeful and positive, but it's about love."
While the song seems to hint at Rihanna's ongoing maturation and happiness in a new relationship, the video works overtime at creating a mood, one that amplifies the song's laid-back, luxurious sonics. The result is both incredibly intimate and wide-screen public, which come to think of it, is sort of like the song itself. Speaking to MTV News, Rihanna explained the concept behind the video explaining that with different abstract scenes she wanted to give the audience the right emotion across throughout the song.
The Anthony Mandler-helmed gray washed clip, is full of dreamy and surreal shoots and plays more like a visual poem, opens with Rihanna rolling up a joint made of diamonds much like the single's cover art and ends with her adrift at sea. As she smokes them, a more dramatic seen takes place with Rihanna running from a car. The beauty looks afraid in the chase leads the singer to stunning view of aurora borealis in the sky. She later finds herself in more chaotic situations, including a crumbling room and an intense riot scene. Despite all going wrong around her, Rihanna continues to hold her lover's hand and shines brights.
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