On January 30th, Ed Sheeran released the music video for his most recent single, Shape Of You, and changed the face of music videos forever.
(Okay, that may be a slight exaggeration. But it was definitely something new.)
In an age of over-sexualization in nearly every music video not directly geared towards kids, this video was a breath of fresh air. The lyrics of the song tell of a couple that start talking after a few shots, and they start dancing together, as she tells him to "grab on my waist and put that body on me." A few lines later, Sheeran sings that they had spent the night together too, and "now my bed sheets smell like you." So while non-explicit, the lyrics definitely suggest that some PG-13 stuff was happening.
The music video, however, neither shows nor implies any of that. Instead Sheeran portrays an amateur boxer, new to the gym and immediately taken with the female boxer that's training, played by Jennie Pegouskie. The video shows them bonding and training together, both in the gym and on the town, but the most intimate they get is a simple kiss in the backseat of a taxi (which is one of the few moments that stays true to the lyrics). At one point, Pegouskie's character disappears, leaving only a picture of a mystery gym and a mouth guard as clues to find her. We see Sheeran training and asking people about the mystery gym, completely ready to fight whoever he needs to in order to impress and win the affection of his girl. However, in a major plot twist, it turns out his opponent is not a boxer, but a sumo wrestler. In the end, Sheeran loses, but Pegouskie shows up to avenge his loss.
This music video is a much-needed change from the typical pop music video. Many videos disregard the lyrics, looking for excuses to put girls in revealing clothes and suggestive dances (I'm looking at you, Fifth Harmony). Instead, director Jason Koenig took the club-related lyrics and turned the video in an entirely new direction, one that makes the video much more interesting to watch. This shapes the video in a way that not many were expecting, giving a creative twist to the otherwise rather cut and dry song.
Additionally, those who have been keeping track of Sheeran's music videos throughout the years will notice that he's been taking bigger and bigger roles in his videos, which he used to not appear in at all. From not appearing in his first major music video for A Team, to dancing in the Thinking out Loud video, to now getting in shape and boxing in this video, his personal (and musical) evolution over the years has been inspiring. Each of his music videos is unique and exciting, offering a surprise for fans every time.
Overall, Sheeran's videos are always something new and entertaining, often out of the box and outdoing the past music videos. He also avoids common music video tropes, although one could argue that that is due to the lyrics of the songs, which are often more heartfelt than other pop songs. The music industry cold use some more of his authenticity, and use some of his music video directors, too.
Check it out here!
