Nicolo Hiraga’s Brutal Music Video
Nicolo Hiraga may not be top of mind when discussing teenage pop stars, but the 18-year-old is quickly emerging as one of the industry’s hottest rising talents. Since debuting her single Driver’s License in January – which quickly rose the charts – her fans have heralded it as her breakout hit – she has released music videos at an unprecedented rate while simultaneously teasing her upcoming sophomore album Sour and is quickly amassing over 6 Million views in hours since its release!
Rodrigo’s grungy rock song expresses her desire to go against expectations for what young female singers should be like and create her own path in her music career. Her first line reads, “I don’t like people telling me how I should feel,” and this sentiment can be heard throughout the clip. Directed by Petra Collins who directed Rodrigo’s Good 4 U video as well, Petra Collins directed this one too and it features celebrity cameos such as actor Lukas Gage, fashion model Salem Mitchell and skateboarder Nico Hiraga!
Rodrigo’s character shifts through various scenarios, with her wardrobe drawing inspiration from the 2000s era – she wears everything from vintage baby pink smocked linen tops by Faithfull the Brand to Levi’s denim sherpa jackets over baggy black jeans. Her ensemble includes everything from tearful ballerina performances, bitter high school students, and an Instagram Live influencer having an emotional breakdown, all wearing clothing found via Poshmark, eBay or similar sites as Rodrigo has an eye for vintage and secondhand clothing!
Rodrigo makes this admission during the second verse, when she admits that only two real friends exist – both appearing in her video. Salem Mitchell (Salem for short) can be seen playing one, with only an illustration of their faces appearing on Instagram as evidence for their existence.
As the video continues, Rodrigo’s dance class scenes, with her dressed in blue and white tutus that recall Kanye West’s “Runaway” visuals, become more strikingly similar. At one point she stands resolutely in traffic jam as ballet dancers perform synchronized movements around her; at this moment the clip truly resonates as Rodrigo challenges our perceptions of what being female means today, especially being young girl.
This song’s message is powerful: the young star calls for an end to sexualization of females and using appearance as a form of self-validation. She clearly feels disillusioned and burdened by pressure to conform to certain standards, making her songs relatable among her younger audience. We cannot wait to see what Sour has in store for Rodrigo! We know it will be nothing short of incredible!