Selena Gomez is more than a little salty on “Boyfriend,” one of the singles off her new album Rare. And why wouldn’t she be, after dating, according to Gomez, an emotional abuser? “Tell me, are there any good ones left?,” she asks about the male population. Gomez is still looking for love, but in the song’s music video, her search has sharpened into more of a hunt. Gomez, decked out in film noir villainess ensembles, lurks around at night, shuffling through a rotation of potential boyfriends-turned-unsuspecting-victims.
Wearing the holy trinity of retro glamour—a silk scarf tied Jackie-O style over her hair, blood red lipstick, and oversized sunglasses—Gomez is at the wheel of a ’50s-era car, lip-syncing over the slick bassline. The camera lingers on a cage full of frogs stowed in the back.
Gomez arrives at her destination, an unassuming laundromat where an after-hours poker game is taking place. She filches a sparkly vial of potion from the table, looking mischievous under her bangs. The camera whisks us away on a dizzying tour of Gomez’s love life. In a word, it’s grim. Gomez smiles and nods vacantly while her dates jabber on. Using some sneaky tactics, she unleashes the potion, and the men are suddenly transformed into frogs. Gomez looks elated as she cradles one of them in her hand and serenades it.
The story is a simple one, propelled by moody visuals and a neat little subversion of fairytale logic. Gomez is beyond believing that a kiss can turn a frog into a prince. All she wants now is to see her dates for the animals they really are. Hell hath no fury.
Featured Image Courtesy of Interscope Records
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