Beyoncé 1+1 video

The music video has many connotations and Beyoncé herself is shown as being very sexual and suggestive. Throughout the video there are many suggestions that make the audience believe she has had sex, e.g. the water looks like sweat and messy hair. Sounds are also used throughout the song to also show signs of sexual intercourse. For example heavy breathing and high pitched “ooh” sounds, give suggestive connotations of sexual intercourse. 

As well as sounds and body features, Beyoncé uses body movements and motions to add extra connotations and hints of sex. When the camera is pointing at the singer with just a black background, she rubs her neck and strokes her body with facial expressions that may suggestive a sexual feeling.

The video is clearly aimed to be very sensual and sexual and designed for male gaze, which suggests that males are dominant and women’s purpose is to please men. At one point in the video a still of Beyoncé with blown back hair and red lighting staring directly into the camera is shown. This picture could have many connotations. In Greek mythology a famous name appears man times, “Medusa”. This still image could be linked to Medusa in the sense of the long strands of hair that look like snakes and a glaring stare that (due to Greek mythology) could turn a man to stone. This comcomparison is fitting in many ways as medusa is said to have attracted men with her beauty before turning them into stone, which could relate to Beyoncé using male gaze and sexualisation to get more fans and views.

Throughout the video Beyonce uses many facial expressions as connotations, the most regularly used is the ‘Invitational’ smile. Marjorie Ferguson theorised that there are 4 male gaze facial expressions used in media. According to these the ‘Invitational” expression is the closest to hers. The lips are closed and a sexual look gives the audience ideas.