Finding the perfect match can be a beastly experience, but in the “Monster” video from British singer-songwriter dodie, it’s downright terrifying.
In a visual available today (Jan. 21), the 23-year old’s bubbly pop tune soundtracks the demise of a creature’s relationship and his ensuing misadventures in the mythical monster dating world. It’s an off-kilter romance that finds the perfect balance between the singer’s lighthearted lyricism and gentle sincerity with a necessary push toward the bizarre.
”I wrote Monster very visually,” dodie tells Billboard. “I had a specific scene in my mind from the time I sat opposite someone who I had angered. I remembered realising that the longer he looked at me, the more hate I would feel from him, as if I was turning into something scary and monstrous in front of his very eyes.”
She explains the contrasting tone and theme of both the song and video, saying, “As difficult as it was at the time, I liked describing and writing it from a lighter side. Working with [director PJ Ligouri] for the video was perfect as I knew his style could match the quirky, playful style of the song.”
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As the creator of the online series Oscar’s Hotel for Fantastical Creatures — co-produced by The Jim Henson Company — Ligouri was key to visualizing the physical monsters in the video while crafting distinct personalities for their brief appearances throughout. His earnest storytelling maintains the accessibility of the song’s lyrics as the fantastical characters emulate dodie’s real-life struggle in ghastly fashion.
Despite its abnormal portrayal of love, the video reaches an oddly poignant resolution: if anyone is going to break, or in this case, devour your heart, it might as well be you.
“Monster” is the latest single off dodie’s Human EP, which arrived on Jan 18.
Check out the video for “Monster,” exclusively on Billboard, below.