The Writing and My Interpretation

If you are like me, and listened to Phangs’ “Eyes Off You” before watching the music video, this was not what I expected. Listening to “Eyes Off You” from a lyrical perspective, it is clear Phangs is talking about his muse. A muse so captivating that even her smallest mannerisms enthrall him. The exploration of this concept is what makes “Eyes Off You” stand out to me the most.

Phangs’ lyrics “I feel like a victim with you” show the realization that this girl has you so entranced that you actually perceive yourself as her victim. In and of itself, that is one scary realization. We’ve heard over and over again in songs how someone is your “drug.” When they make you feel like a victim, that is some next level allure. It’s true though; think about someone who is or has had this effect on you. It isn’t their overt personality traits that fascinate you, it is the intricacies of who they are. Wow, got a little deep there. Let’s get into the actual video.

Video Breakdown

The video opens with girl walking into her house at night. She is seemingly going through her normal routines, checking her phone, putting clothes away, and getting ready for bed. Then we get a cut scene to the outside tree line. Okay, possibly an ominous shot to build the story. Now I’m thinking, wait whose point of view are we getting here?

The video progresses with the girl walking downstairs and when she notices the door is open. The music cuts out. Things are getting a little darker now, with the girl checking outside to see if anyone is there.

Halfway through we get a montage time lapse scene, starting with static. The video then cuts into the viewpoint of a camera, i.e. the person who has been watching and filming her this entire time. We finally see the reflection of who’s been filming her in the window. Things are getting weirder.

The girl walks back into her bedroom, and we cut back to the present. She gets into bed with the camera panning back into a dark hallway. We then see Phangs walking out of the house as it is revealed that he has been her mysterious admirer all along. Phangs gets into his car, takes the video tape out the camera and marks the date, throwing it into a larger pile of video tapes from previous nights.

Takeaways

So, this video is kind of creepy, but in a good kind of way. I loved the way this music video develops. I went from confused as to where the video was going during the beginning, to progressively more uncomfortable with the realization someone has been watching and filming the girl for weeks. Basically, this visual representation acts as literal take on the nuanced lyrics of “Eyes Off You.”

The concepts from the song lyrically that I mentioned earlier are still taking place visually, but it took those lyrics from a generally light, dancey song to a shady and suspenseful place. To me, that only made it more interesting to watch. Overall, I thought this video was extremely unique in that the video itself is simple, but the concepts explored are extremely creative and dark at the same time.

If you missed our interview with Phangs, check it out here.

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