We live in a world where the meaning and function of media has changed significantly from the past. Today, when we talk about television series or web series, or when we discuss music videos, it is no longer possible to be certain that there is a clear boundary between cinema and other visual mediums. It is not uncommon to come across a series that, in eight or nine episodes, essentially presents multiple feature films with the quality and standards of mainstream cinema. Likewise, it is not unusual for a music video to gather more attention and audience engagement than a Hollywood film. As a result, anything is possible. We can expect a music video to adhere to the rules and conventions of cinema, transforming what was once primarily a promotional tool into a superb work of art.
The music video Lovesick is precisely such a work. From the very beginning, it develops its central character, constructing her within the confined space of a bedroom using cinematic techniques. It is also important to note that a significant part of this character development emerges from the collaboration between the director and the actress—who, in this case, is the singer of the song, Liv Belda. If this collaboration wasn’t as effective, the narrative and storytelling aspects of the music video would have fall flat. Liv Belda, who is also a producer, photographer, and musician, is the performer of the piece. Her presence in the video feels so natural that we immediately believe in her role. The choice of a bedroom for the video's opening scene enhances the believability of the setting and makes the narrative space more tangible. In many music videos, there is an emphasis on separating the visual world from everyday life. However, in Lovesick, they have sought to bring the atmosphere of the video as close to real life as possible.
The fact that the minds behind this music video have made optimal use of the bedroom’s limitations is a testament to the idea that restrictions fuel creativity. Actions such as Liv looking into the mirror, filling scattered sheets of paper with lyrics, adjusting her pillow, gazing out of the window, and more are all attempts to maximize the expressive potential of the setting. It is important to remember that storytelling in music videos is particularly challenging. This is because the creators have very little time at their disposal, the number of settings and characters is limited, there is no dialogue, and everything we see is always interpreted in relation to the song's meaning. This connection can be either direct or indirect. In some music videos, the visual narrative is a direct representation of the lyrics, translating the song’s content into imagery. However, some music videos attempt to move beyond the literal meaning of the song, presenting elements that are not explicitly found in the lyrics but can be inferred through imagination.
Within the short duration of a music video—typically between four to six minutes—the creators must find the best possible way to convey the mood, atmosphere, and essence of the song. Sometimes, the most effective approach, considering the rhythm and theme of the song, is to assemble a mosaic of diverse scenes, creating a broad, multifaceted perspective on a person’s life. At other times, directors choose to confine the entire video to a single continuous sequence, allowing the song’s narrative to unfold entirely within that singular moment.
In Lovesick, we encounter an interesting choice. The entire music video runs for 4 minutes and 35 seconds. During the first minute, they confine the setting to a bedroom, where we see Liv singing and spending time in this intimate space. Then, around the middle of the second minute, the setting shifts, transitioning from an interior to an exterior space—one that, by virtue of being outdoors, carries a dreamlike quality. In contrast to the first section, which in some ways portrays the monotony of the protagonist’s daily life, the second section—set in lush greenery—takes on an imaginative dimension, almost like a dream. Whereas the first part highlights the protagonist’s distance from her beloved, the second shows Liv hand in hand with the man she loves, smiling and happy. Then, as the narrative returns to the enclosed space of the home, a trace of that dreamlike world follows the character back: we see a band playing casually in the kitchen. In a way, it is as if a fragment of the fantasy from the second section has found its way into the third. As a result of this journey, the house’s atmosphere is transformed, moving away from the stillness of the opening scenes. It is as if the power of imagination can bring an entire world into the protagonist’s apartment.
The director of the music video, Nick Benjamin, succeeds in capturing the protagonist’s oscillation between reality and fantasy through handheld cinematography and skillful yet understated editing, avoiding excessive stylization. Without relying on special effects, Benjamin presents the inner world of his character in a transparent way. Through simple but deliberate camera movements and an avoidance of rapid, fragmented editing, he takes his time in acquainting us with the setting, the protagonist, and her world.
In the fourth section of the video, we step outside again, into nature. However, this time, the dreamlike atmosphere reaches its peak—Liv is now performing the very song that, up until this point, we have only heard as an internal monologue. In the fifth and final section—the shortest of all—we return home once more, where a single shot captures the bedroom, Liv and her lover, and the scattered lyrics, as if the entire process of writing and performing the song had passed through her mind in an instant. It is precisely these dreamlike qualities that give Lovesick the feel of a film, structured like a cinematic work with its own introduction, development, climax, and resolution. These cinematic elements make Lovesick a refined and remarkable piece—one that relies purely on creativity and artistic execution to tell its story with effortless clarity.
The Lovesick is a perfect music video for the song it accompanies. The same tranquility, simplicity, and sense of liberation present in the track—along with the freedom and smoothness of Liv’s voice—flow seamlessly through the visual narrative as well.
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