Electronic alt-pop artist Nolo Grace has released her newest video for the single Miss Perfect. The lyricism hints to the feeling of pressure to be the desired and submissive woman. This is paralleled by the 1950s housewives gone wild plot line of the music video. The viewer is met with a colorful vintage setting, showing Nolo Grace saying goodbye to her presumed husband as he leaves for work. Without her husband in the picture, the oppressive incentive to meet the well behaved, delicate and obedient expectations is lifted, allowing the character she is portraying to break out and be herself.
As the video progresses, Nolo is joined by two other women who support each other in their journey of breaking the shackles which connect them to the patriarchy and societal gazes.
The symbolism seen within the video aligns with the pressures many women face today. Nolo and the other newly independent WOC characters reject the rigid and outdated societal norms of what is desirable in a woman and embrace being unapologetically themselves.
Even the range in Nolo Grace’s voice can be connected to the meaning behind the song. Nolo’s falsetto, feminine voice can be heard in the verses, when she is questioning her identity. She then bursts through with the chorus, belting out, “Tried to be miss perfect wasn’t really worth it,” with a fully passionate chest voice.
The final message of this video is solidified when the husband returns from work. Nolo Grace does not go back to her oppressed, submissive lifestyle. She is seen opening the door in her night out disco romper and high heel boots, sporting a smirk letting her husband know he is no longer in control of who she is, a nod to Nolo’s real life experiences with accepting and becoming herself.
The single and video are available for streaming worldwide now https://open.spotify.com/track/2TqMsrr0decK74ksea435x?si=5374e8be2e1545ea
https://www.instagram.com/nolograce/
