ZEITGEIST: How current trends are reflected within music videos

Zeitgeist theory is based on characterising the trend of a specific time frame from different occasions which is then reflected in the present society.

This music video by Lady Leshurr titled as ‘Queen’s Speech 4’. This video shows a variety of zeitgeist aspects which are shown using intertextuality including:

In this scene of the music video there is a heart symbol shown on in front of Lady Leshurr which is referring to the popular and well-known website ‘Instagram’. This type of social network uses photos to allow friends, family or people to know what you are doing and what is going on in your life or daily routine. This application is outstanding as celebrities use it in order to keep their fan up-to-date with what they are doing and all the events that are going to happen. This social website falls under the intertextual trend in the previous months. 

Snapchat/BANTER – Another component inside the song which shows Zeitgeist theory through current trends is the reference to Snapchat application which has been one of the greatest engaging applications in social networking in the last months. Despite the fact that Instagram is concentrating on pictures, you can create your own particular profile, basically like a photograph blog. This application is very different from Snapchat. This is because Snapchat you are able to record videos and send pictures that the receiver can only see them for 10 seconds maximum, meaning you can't store them in any capacity without the other individual knowing it (because of screen shot). This application can be considered as controversial because of the time. Besides, a similar verse of the song as Lady Leshurr mentions 'BANTER', a trade of perky and teasing comments between two individuals which are regularly used inside the young culture to characterise the entertaining demonstration.

Religion (Ramadan, Adam &Eve and Jesus) – Within the music video a special effect is used in order to caption the world ‘RAMADAN’ and after the lyrics mentions ‘Jesus, Adam and Eve’ this refers to different religions. The use of these captions with in the song could be that Lady Leshurr is referring to the recent events that happened in Syria and Iraq as the Muslim’s, Christian people were immigrating to Europe as this is a continent most know for it having Christianity with few other ones, as a result the lyrics are strongly referring to these crises. 

Another arguable intertextual is that within the music video a verse refers to Bruce Jenner changing gender. This is a recent gossip that is been going around the world causing controversial ideas and opinions.

Flip Flops with socks – The music video talks about another trend which focuses on people that wear flip flops with socks in music videos. This trend unexpectedly became popular as before was considered as embarrassment and means you do not have a good taste in fashion. This became a trend after the celebrities starting wearing flip flops with socks with casual elegance not being ashamed or embarrassed by it when walking around. This shows how persuasive the media can be. By spreading few pictures of famous people the world substituted the shame with another elegant trend. This displays the power the media has and its impact on the general public.

Kyle Jenner Big Mouth Challenge ‘Big Mouth Gyal. Where your lips gone’? – Those Lyrics are mostly targeting Kylie Jenner’s ‘Big Mouth Challenge’ this is another social network trend. This is because I have looked up this challenge on Google Images and I have decided to provide a print screen of what I have seen. As you can see males and females are trying to make their lips bigger by ‘Sucking’ a cup or any round object that can cover their lips. This also shows how the media influences young people to do unpleasant things and these are the consequences of it. This also a viral challenge which people are trying to do it from all around the world also this is because of the social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Furthermore, this also shows how people are easily influenced and persuaded by celebrities without considering the consequences 

Taking everything into account, every single event above show clear portrayal of current trends and their powerful outcomes on groups, especially youth societies. The music video depicts different trends which are unique in relation to each other, despite the fact that their comparability is engaged around the long range informal communication sites which are enabling the pattern to reach considerably bigger gatherings of groups of onlookers.