Video Premiere

Red Swan

May 30, 2012 2 Comments

Just a few days ago, if you’d created a Venn diagram in which Florence + The Machine and Rihanna occupied separate circles, likely the only intersection would have been some red hair. But even that would have been something of a stretch, as Rihanna’s ‘do was only colored Ronald McDonald red for the duration of 2010’s Loud, while Florence Welch’s carrot top is the real deal.

But now, to promote “Spectrum,” the latest single from Florence + The Machine’s sophomore set Ceremonials, the overlap between the two camps has increased. Producer Calvin Harris, who co-wrote Rihanna’s “We Found Love” and “Where Have You Been,” has been picked to remix “Spectrum” (hear here), while the music video was co-directed by David LaChapelle. You’ll recall the artist/photographer famously sued Rihanna for copyright infringement upon spotting some similarities between his images and her “S&M” video. (The case was settled out of court for an unspecified sum of money.)

Working alongside choreographer John Byrne, LaChapelle is a perfect choice to lens “Spectrum,” as his hyperrealistic visual style matches the song’s dramatic, over-the-top sweep. And LaChapelle does indeed deliver upon that promise in spades, with a video that features an overly ecstatic ballet troupe with Welch as its central (largely non-dancing) figure.

Circling back to the start of this post, what’s that resting atop Welch’s head? Not a sparkling crown, but a stair-stepped wig dyed a very Loud red:

Purchase Florence + The Machine – “Spectrum” via iTunes, Amazon MP3.