Dancing in the Grass
By Ambre Savagnac
The prominence of nature in music visuals is bringing a breath of fresh air to our times. Conceptualized in music videos or through musical experiences, these vibrant green tones lend a more authentic dimension to a genre already heavily commercialized and saturated with media attention.
The Babe Rainbow
The creative direction of two recently released music videos embraces verdant hues, a trend that certainly resonates. The visual art direction of the Belgian artist Angèle and the iconic Charli XCX, typically characterized by glamorous framing, fashion references, and predominantly urban settings, now incorporates grass, mud, and, paradoxically, ultra-feminine touches. These two iconic pop-rock singers, who dominate a significant portion of the music scene and its influences, need no introduction. In Dis-Le (« Say it » in French), a lush landscape where neo-medieval aesthetics meet a powerful mantra (Angèle proclaims to listen to our instinct), while in Wink Wink, Charli XCX plays on the duality between sexualized cliché scenes and fisheye shots amidst the fields of her own native countryside. Less glitz, more grass, fewer ultra-polished outfits. A choice that suggests they want to instill in their respective communities a strong taste for returning to basics, inviting them to connect with their surroundings and what truly matters, with sincerity and sometimes a touch of humor. The pop music genre proves that it's possible to take a different turn that aptly counterbalances its classic visuals with a more engaging pivot. Regardless of their fame, these female artists joyfully remind us that nature has the power to unite and allow us to be ourselves. The principle is to spread a deeper message.
Loïc Prigent
From what we already know, the famous, photogenic tracking shot in a field where the protagonist runs is proof that this scene is a true symbol of personal expression in pop culture, especially in dramas and adventure films. Try it yourself: walking or running in the city surrounded by people is a collective experience; whether we like it or not, the intense pace of the city will slow you down. Moving in the heart of nature is a moment of introspection, a unique connection with our body and mind, because we literally have the space to think and physically take up all our space. An ode to freedom. Let's recall the music video for Billie Eilish's song Chihiro (2024), where she escapes her partner by running back and forth in the middle of a field after being trapped within the walls of a concrete building, a metaphor for what toxic relationship patterns can be. Deep and intense electronic music underscores this heartbreaking love scene. The blend of soundtrack-style music and the use of cinematic staging makes this video a truly memorable work and lends a photogenic dimension to the sound.
Everything is about emancipation in a scene filmed in nature, because nothing can truly stop us. The choice to film in a field gives more validity to music that is often categorized and sometimes confined to a predefined aesthetic. Perhaps it's a mature desire to embrace more vulnerability, to reveal one's true essence. The natural green color has a fantastical, adventurous, almost religious quality. It's a reaffirmation of something sensory from childhood that we sometimes forget to appreciate (as Charli XCX filmed her music video in her English countryside). Nature inevitably aids in liberation. Because it is not judgmental, it is inviting, encouraging, and can even offer a sense of protection. This is why many events, free parties, and festivals are organized in these places. Hidden away from the potential concrete jungle, noise, and artificial lights, nature offers greater opportunities for self-expression. In early October 2026, in an Icelandic Viking village, the unique Immersion festival, founded by Greg Habib, a Brazilian seeking to reconnect people through a community of travelers and listeners, will take place. At the intersection of adventure, culture, and human connections, this event is inevitably open to the unexpected: volcanic soil, endless horizons, and unpredictable weather. A temporary world, built collectively, then vanishing once the five days and five nights of celebration are over. From the Gobi Desert to the Nile, by way of Iceland, Immersion, as its name suggests, grounds its festival-goers in a purely intentional experience, allowing nature's whims to dictate their own rhythm. From hypnotic textures to groovy rhythms, and including more experimental and unconventional sounds, the stage will bring together emerging talents from around the world. “The deepest imprint of any experience isn’t the place, it’s what it opened in you” is the event’s slogan; it’s also a message that can be considered preserving this in the interpretation of contemporary music.
Immersion Festival
In Angèle's music video, Dis-Le, the dance is in full swing amidst a timeless, aesthetically pleasing natural setting. In Wink Wink, Charli XCX struts in front of the camera while, ironically, rustic and outdated elements are simultaneously depicted. All of this creates a patchwork of contradictions. This reinforces the central argument of the artist and her song: everything is true. Embracing the aesthetic paradox means establishing that the work is not false, but without seeking performance or approval. What makes these videos so captivating is the confidence conveyed by the paradoxical concept: visually superficial pop-rock-electro music alongside wild landscapes, often staged exclusively for traditional music. The message lies in the irony of opposites and a genuine commitment to remaining grounded despite the fame these artists face. These images carry an underlying message: they encourage pop artists to step outside their comfort zone. Angèle and Charli XCX are playing along because they know perfectly well that their goal is to convey a message, not to launch a radical new artistic direction. They reject the idea that a singer's identity is something to be perfected for the public, but rather something fluid, even contradictory at times, for the better. They suggest that their audience embrace this avant-garde thinking, at a time when every piece of artistic content is easily overanalyzed on social media. Overflowing with personality in one's work, while maintaining complete creative freedom, is clear proof that continuing to ride the wave of an already established trend is not progress. Sometimes, the boldest artistic statement isn't necessarily the most dramatic confession, but the refusal to persist in the role already assigned to you. This summer, let's feel free, let's dance in the rain, but above all, let's dance to what the energetic rhythm of the grass has to offer us that is strongest.
Charli XCX
