The Unbreakable Oath: "In the Name of Love"

By: Kevin Grube, Pledge

The music video, “In the Name of Love” by Martin Garrix and Bebe Rexha, has 140,292,864 views on YouTube. It was released on July 29th, 2016, and was produced by STMPD Records B.V., a division of Sony Music Entertainment Netherlands B.V. The song itself is not part of an album, as it was released as a single track. The genre of the song is “EDM”, which stands for electronic and dance music. Furthermore, the music video has received 1,498,195 likes on YouTube.

This music video and song centers around the key concept that love is unbreakable and eternal, despite whatever hardships and barriers are in the way of it. A key stanza in the song is, “Would you let me lead you even when you're blind? In the darkness, in the middle of the night. In the silence, when there's no one by your side. Would you call in the name of love?”

This stanza illuminates that despite darkness and blindness that Bebe Rexha and Martin Garrix, the two people in the video, will always find a way to be connected to one another, even when they’re physically not with each other. Thunder, lightening, storm clouds, and turbulent water are used in the music video as illustrations to demonstrate the adversities that Bebe Rexha and Martin Garrix go through.

A feminist theory that this resonates with this music video is the “recovery and reappraisal approach” concept. As Rakow describes, “Feminists in this approach are more likely to place a positive value on women’s culture as something distinct from men’s culture, something that should be recovered and encouraged”. In the video, Bebe Rexha is presented as a strong, confident, and potent woman. She is wearing a lavish red dress and expensive jewelry. She is the only vocalist in the song, and her voice resonates with passion and purpose. This is ties to the “recovery and reappraisal approach” because she represents feminism in a positive light, as she is the main attraction in this song. For the most part, she commands the music video, and is on an equal, yet different level than Martin Garrix. In addition, she braves the inclement elements with as much confidence and vigor as Martin, thus reminding viewers that women are just as strong, confident and independent as men.

The music video opens with Bebe and Martin holding hands and facing each other. They are covered in red and black, with storm clouds and lightening in the background. This is immediately illustrating that they will be by each other’s side regardless of the obstacles they face. The video then shows the title of the song, and transitions to Bebe Rexha singing on a ledge on the patio of a giant white mansion. The mansion is located on top of a hill, overlooking other large houses and the ocean, demonstrating wealth and luxury. She is wearing a vibrant red dress, which symbolizes both love and pain. She makes her way onto a diving board in which storm clouds begin to roll into the sky.

The once calm pool waters begin to get choppy and red. She’s standing on the diving board, caressing herself. Martin Garrix is then shown on the second floor of the mansion, overlooking the pool and Bebe. He’s wearing an expensive suit, has slicked back and stylish hair, and has a strong presence and demeanor.

He makes his way down to the pool and walks on the edge of the second diving board. The diving boards are parallel and not within reaching distance, which symbolizes a rift or distance in their romantic relationship. He’s looking at her with concern as the elements around them begin to get worse and worse.

As the monstrous storm clouds get closer and closer, Bebe and Martin are shown starring into each other’s eyes. The water begins to spout up from the pool, with Bebe and Martin still standing on the edges of their diving boards. Despite fog, thunder, and lightening, and water spouts, they are still deeply connected, as they never lose eye contact with one another. The video then cuts to the fog and inclement weather dissipating. In this moment, they jump into the pool at the same time just as the weather around them begins to get turbulent and severe again.

Rolling tides of water from the pool, clouds zooming through the sky, and lightening are shown in between scenes of the two of them kissing under water. The water eventually turns red, yet the two are still kissing, once again demonstrating that their love is unstoppable despite the grueling conditions.

 

The video ends exactly as it began, with the two of them holding hands and looking into each other’s eyes. The two lovers have come full circle and are still together despite all the forces that were trying to separate and tear them apart.

The feminist theory of “recovery and reappraisal” reverberates through this music video. Bebe Rexha is portrayed in a strong, confident, and positive manner. She is the voice of the entire music video and song, and she is on an equal, yet separate platform from her romantic partner, Martin. In addition, having a large, elegant mansion, fancy clothes, and a giant pool that overlooks other houses and the ocean doesn’t signify what love is.Love is not materialistic and dependent on a couple’s wealth. Rather, true love and commitment to a lasting relationship is dependent on being able to manage the good times, and the bad times.

Love is tested when all the elements (the weather in the video) are attempting to push the two apart. As demonstrated in the video, this love is stronger than any evil or incendiary powers. Thus, the music video epitomizes that true love is an unbreakable force and vow that is everlasting, in addition to representing Bebe Rexha in an optimistic and positive manner.