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tastes like strawberries and sounds like diversity and empowerment: a watermelon sugar review.

At the end of my 3 minutes 41 seconds in 70s paradise, I felt like I’d been involved in the most massive group hug ever, and at times like this, nothing could’ve made me feel better.

By hannah irelanPublished 4 years ago 4 min read
Top Story - May 2020
8

this video is dedicated to touching.

Skinny jeans. Band tees. Chelsea boots. That was the Harry of the past. That was the Harry of times long over. The Harry of today, well, that’s a keeper, for sure.

The “Fine Line” era kicked off with a major bang. Almost immediately after the release of the “Lights Up” video, the quiet, reserved, shy Harry of the past was gone, and it was obvious. Over the last few months, we’ve watched Harry reinvent himself with floral tops, flawless Gucci designs, and an aura that screams inclusiveness, self-acceptance, and appreciation for all.

The “Watermelon Sugar” music video was a thing of beauty, start to finish. To be honest, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. When the clock struck 12 on Monday morning, May 18th, I wasn’t at all sure of what I’d see. Harry has a knack for being a very vintage, old-style character. I knew that. I also knew that if Harry could get his hands on it, it would be a masterpiece, and a masterpiece it was. This video is one of my all-time favorite music videos, and I’m going to tell you exactly why.

  • Holy female empowerment.
  • We’ve always known Harry to appreciate women. He’s always been incredibly celebratory of us and the contributions we make. This video was nothing short of a celebration of females of all shapes, sizes, races, and ethnicities. From the very first moment, I got the feeling of freedom and inclusiveness, and that’s the best vibe this video could’ve given.

  • 70s vibes are STRONG
  • The 70s is the best decade, let’s just be clear. Harry couldn’t have picked a better era to vibe with in this video. I almost can’t handle how much of a time-warp this video feels like. The outfits are stellar, the filmography is stunning, and the human connection is soooo 70s. That’s already a major plus.

  • Femininity. Masculinity. Lines blurred.
  • Okay, my favorite thing about Harry has always been this idea that he can sprinkle in a little sexual ambiguity into whatever he does in order to create this welcoming, loving environment. Seeing Harry in colorful crop tops, laying on a beach in the presence of men and women: that’s something I can get behind and support. That’s the Harry that I fell in love with, and will continue to fall for over and over.

  • Beautiful mix of old style film and traditional camera work.
  • One thing that I really loved about this video was the mix of film that was used. There was this really tasteful combination of old film and common camera work, but it was done so seamlessly that I barely noticed the switch as it happened. That was another aspect that made this video so 70s; that mix of old style film.

  • Major summer vibes.
  • This song is such a summer anthem, clearly. We don’t even need to dispute that. The video, with the strawberries, watermelon, beach, and bikinis, makes me want to be out on a hot June day prancing in the water, just like our dear Harry.

  • Diversity in all forms.
  • Including women is great, but being conscious of the types of women that are showcased is an entirely other thing, and Harry masters it perfectly. The women are not only beautiful, but they are diverse, they are different sizes, they are different shapes, and they all come together in one place. That’s the cultural inclusiveness that we need right now.

  • Harry is not the center focus at all times.
  • This is probably my favorite thing about this video, honestly. I always thought that I’d want him to be the center focus whenever I’d watch a music video, but that wasn’t the case here. I found myself looking more at the people around him than I did of him alone, and I think that was exactly his purpose, and it was really special to be a part of.

  • Harry has a way of being culturally inclusive, even when he’s not necessarily trying to.
  • This video screams cultural inclusivity. There’s not a single aspect of this video that isn’t celebrating different cultures, different people, and different ethnicity, and at a time where the world is so incredibly divided, the “Watermelon Sugar” music video is the group hug that we all need.

  • Sexuality done tastefully.
  • As a good friend of mine said, this video is sexuality done so tastefully. As someone who tends to be a bit more artsy and creative, I can really appreciate sexual culture if it’s done well, and this is done SO well. Everything is done so subtly, but the message is clear: sexuality isn’t taboo, or at least, it shouldn’t be.

  • Who doesn’t like a good watermelon?
  • I mean, who doesn’t like watching Harry Styles enjoy watermelon for nearly four minutes straight?

    At the end of my 3 minutes 41 seconds in 70s paradise, I felt like I’d been involved in the most massive group hug ever, and at times like this, nothing could’ve made me feel better.

    song reviews
    8

    About the Creator

    hannah irelan

    24, treat people with kindness, always support the small joys of others

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