BEST VIDEOS OF THE WEEK: WEEK 41

Sundays are meant for kicking back, relaxing, and treating yourself. One of my favorite ways to do exactly that is by making a bowl of popcorn, getting under the covers, and going through the best videos of the week. While some of the fun *can* be in searching and scrolling through various videos, we’ve made it easy for you by cutting out the noise and listing our favorite videos of the week. Check out the top videos below!

"DREAMS" BY ZHU & NERO

I’ve got to admit, this is probably one of the weirdest (but coolest) videos I’ve seen. Starting out with naked bodies piled on top of one another, the official video for “Dreams” almost appears like a 1700s painting from Europe. However, about a minute in that quickly changes as the once slumbering(?) bodies begin dancing in a dreamy but robotic fashion. This video is so memorizing, you just can’t look away.

"HOT WATER" BY BAUM

Baum’s “Hot Water” is the pop anthem the LGBTQ community needs. “Hot Water” tells a love story between two young women and the excitement and awkwardness that followers. In an interview with LADYGUNN, Baum shared that she “wanted the video to be a romanticized but somewhat realistic depiction of how it feels to be scared and inexperienced, but also craving intimacy.” The song was inspired by her experiences as a teenager.

"MISTAKES" BY TOVE STYRKE

Watch Tove Styrke risk it all in her official music video for “Mistakes.” The pop singer is seen running in an extravagant wedding gown, fleeing a church as she tosses her bouquet behind her. Towards the end, she’s joined by other runaway brides. While the video appears first as a symbol of loneliness and panic, it becomes clear that instead Styrke is finding empowerment and strength in her choice to take a risk. 

"LOSE MY MIND" BY DEAN LEWIS

Australian singer-songwriter Dean Lewis gets vulnerable in the new video for his summer single “Lose My Mind.” The song features a strong pop structure with emotional, raw lyrics about being on the verge of losing someone, leaving you to feel like you’ve also lost your mind, feeling trapped. The video was directed by ARIA winning director Josh Logue, known for his work on “Walking On A Dream” by Empire of the Sun.

"LIKE A PRAYER" BY MADONNA

Madonna’s provocative, controversial, and classic music video for “Like A Prayer” had everyone talking in the late 80s/early 90s. The video features everything from burning crosses to stigmata. Director Mary Lambert shared in an interview that “The most important thing was to force people to reimagine their visual references and really root out their prejudices. Using burning crosses to reference racism to religion. Why not a Black Jesus? Why can't you imagine kissing him? I wanted to speak about ecstasy and to show the relationship between sexual and religious ecstasy.” Lambert and Madonna definitely were successful, as the video still remains one of the most important videos in pop culture today.

"WAKING UP SLOW" BY GABRIELLE APLIN

English singer-songwriter Gabrielle Aplin first gained attention on YouTube after sharing acoustic videos; shortly after, she signed her first record deal with Parlophone and began recording her debut album English Rain, which peaked at #2 on the UK charts in 2013. Since then she’s released a handful of singles and another album. Her latest single “Waking Up Slow” is a symbol of her finding comfort within herself and what it feels like to “wake up.”

"LOSING ALL SENSE" BY GRIZZLY BEAR

Glamour, reality TV, and sleezy business men keep Grizzly Bear’s new video for their single “Losing All Sense” quite interesting. It might start out like an episode of The Real Housewives, but it’s sure to throw you off your track. The track comes from their latest album Painted Ruins, released this past August on RCA Records. It’s the fifth studio album from the indie rockers, and it comes five years after their previous release, Shields. Painted Ruins is definitely the comeback we needed.

2 CATS PLAYING THE GUITAR

We Are: The Guard prides itself on finding the “next big thing,” and folks, I think you’re looking at it. This mysterious cat duo are bound to be the next voices of this generation. Their guitar playing may seem overly simple, but that’s exactly what makes it pure genius. Be sure to keep a lookout for these two cuties in the coming months.

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What are your favorite videos of the week? Let us know in the comments below!

Cover photo taken from Zhu & Nero’s official video for “Dreams”