Ariana Grande’s new video has been accused of lifting the concept from another clip released last year by the Australian group SAFIA.
Grande’s “One Last Time” is directed by Max Landis and premiered earlier this week. It opens with static and a brief argument between the pop star and another man. The camera follows Ariana as she steps from a car and wonders through panicked street crowds as meteors rain down from purple skies. As the clip reaches its climax, the singer gets-in one last kiss before the planet seemingly meets its fate.
Watch Ariana Grande Face Deadly Comet in ‘One Last Time’ Video
Members of Canberra’s indie/electronica group SAFIA were drawn to its thematic similarities with their own clip, “You Are The One,” which was directed by Jimmy Ennett from Crux Media and posted to YouTube last September. The Aussie video opens with static and a brief argument, after which a young woman leaves a car and runs through panicked streets as meteors rain down from purple skies. As the promo reaches its climax, the couple who had argued earlier find the time for a final embrace as the planet takes a pummelling.
SAFIA, comprised of Ben Woolner, Michael Bell and Harry Sayers, took issue with Ariana’s clip, which the band members said had “reworked the concept a little bit and then straight up stolen and copied some bits.” In a Facebook page, the band wrote, “This might just be coincidence but to us it looks like either the people at Ariana Grande’s label or the film maker have seen our clip for ‘You Are The One’ & reworked the concept a little bit and then straight up stolen and copied some bits…(ESPECIALLY THE END!).” The message continues, “Wouldn’t be the first time uncreative talentless fucks from big labels and/or big film firms steal ideas from small independent creatives who are trying really hard to make something different for a change.”
A subsequent post compared screengrabs from the finale of both videos, with the message: “YOU DON’T MESS WITH THE SAF! IT’S ONNNNN!”
On Wednesday, after reportedly receiving death threats via social media, the group changed it tone. The battle is now off. It’s been a “really weird 72 hours and things have escalated very quickly regarding the Ariana Grande video situation,” the new post reads adding that “there’s no way of ever proving whether Ariana’s clip was influenced by ‘You Are The One’ and it genuinely may have just been a coincidence.” The band members continue: “We’re not after Ariana, Max or their label either, we were simply voicing our concerns in what is sometimes a common occurrence in the music industry.”
Landis responded to the claims on Twitter, noting the similarity but also saying plenty of other shots are similar too.
Watch the two videos below and decide for yourself.
UPDATE: After this article was published, we added tweets from Ariana Grande’s video director, Max Landis.
It’s almost like like tropes and themes are repeated constantly throughout fiction. Guys, calm down.
— Max Landis (@Uptomyknees) February 17, 2015
I talked to Safia and they were very cool about it, but guys, I gotta be serious with you for a minute, as a creative person
— Max Landis (@Uptomyknees) February 17, 2015
And just give you some advice, as a friend. I’m being a friend to you right now.
— Max Landis (@Uptomyknees) February 17, 2015
Protip: don’t accuse someone of stealing for having similar tropes if you REALLY ACTUALLY STOLE YOUR VIDEO YOU’RE ACCUSING THEM OF STEALING.
— Max Landis (@Uptomyknees) February 17, 2015
Everyone in the biz said “stay quiet, let it blow over”
fuck that. i respect Ariana way too much to let her get called a thief.
— Max Landis (@Uptomyknees) February 17, 2015
@JimmyEnnett @SAFIAmusic I’m a fan of your work too, your video KICKS ASS. It sucks that the last shot is so similar..
— Max Landis (@Uptomyknees) February 17, 2015