Anouk from the Netherlands, one of yesterday’s 10 qualifiers for Saturday’s Eurovision Grand Final, released her official video for “Birds” today, two days ahead of the release of her new album “Sad Singalong Songs”. It didn’t disappoint!
Although visually very pretty, what happens in the video ain’t that pretty. But what can one expect from a song that basically speaks about the end of the world when love dies (hence the birds falling from the sky), and about going “to a place with no fear and no moonlight”? The video puts a “Swan Lake” spin to “Birds”, a very interesting idea that is shot superbly. Anouk chose to feature in the video as the evil director who replaces the lead ballerina during a dress rehearsal. That’s cruel! We won’t spoil the ending for you, but who wouldn’t react the same when rejected by Anouk?
And another thought. “Birds” can also mean “girls” and it’s indeed telling that there is no man in the video of this song that speaks of a girl’s broken heart. (You can read all the lyrics here.)
What are your thoughts about this beautiful and emotionally stirring video? Is what you would have expected of Anouk for “Birds” or were you hoping for something entirely different?
You can read our song reviews on the Wiwi Jury page. Then read the lyrics to this year’s entries on our contestants page. And then vote for your favourite contestants in our various polls.
Come on Anouk, your song is the best !
Freya,just saw video clip,it is very ineresting almost on the edge,but manage to make an atmosphere of the song,and what is more important to ephesize Anouk voice,her voice is very unuqe just like our Nevena.I think Netherlands deserves to winn this year.If you ask me why,besides my sympathy for 8 years of waiting;Anuk has carisma,uniqe voice,she succeeded to be diffrent from almost 40 countyes.And wish after winning came to Belgrade and present her self to our audience.Whish her good luck 🙂
Better use the link from JoyceS for the 4 songs. Had overseen it. Sorry.
Good video. Normally, there is no money to make a decent videoclip in the Netherlands. That some find the plot to thin, it is a videoclip of 3 minutes, not a movie! I myself can picture it perfectly. A ballerina, that is trying so hard all her life, to achieve something. Endless rehearsels, bloody feet, anorexic. And then, Anouk, the teacher, does not like it and smiles at her competition. She runs upstairs, sees the birds, how they can fly perfectly. She wants that feeling so bad, she wants to fly herself. Her last flight…….. See allso some other clips… Read more »
yesterday on dutch tv it was about these video series, I heard they choose for ballarinas because the producer thought when you see a group of birds flying in the air….they sometimes makes beautiful wavy movements in the air, just like in this video…it reminds her of the elegant movements from ballarinas!
Notice this video do not stand alone, she made 4 videos that that belong together, birds is one of them…
http://m.youtube.com/user/anouktv/videos?sort=dd&tag_id=&view=0
Birds-Kill-The good life-Pretenting
Beautifully shot, but I can’t help but feel if the plot is a little thin and melodramatic.
I think….to be very honest. A superb video. Also in a critical sense. As you might have known, the suicidal rate in western-european countries like Finland, Sweden and Netherlands is much higher compared to other European countries. I think it’s good that Anouk wants to highlight this fact.
@paul Good point, but she *could* have died from doing something like that. A better backstory would have made the depression more realistic. Don’t get me wrong though, I still think it’s a great video 🙂
She doesn’t commit suicide, you could interpret it that she performs the ultimate ‘dying swan’ to prove her point being the best, although the outcome might a bit radical 🙂 So you shouldn’t take it so literally.
I already loved this song because of its lyrics, chords and melody, and thanks to this video it keeps on growing on me.
In my opinion the video is a piece of art, perfectly matching the song.
I watched the full recording of the 1st semi overnight. Real shame Croatia and Cyprus couldn’t get through, but here in New York City, I thought it would have been blasphemy for the voting public and the juries to say NO to the Dutch. Scary for Petra and ESC to give Anouk & Co. the shakes at the very end of the announcement. I don’t know what to make of this video. As someone else said, it definitely fits the song, and for that, I say it was a very good strategic move for the Dutch to release this video… Read more »
I would have preferred another ending to the video, as I like the song very much.
In a funny note (sorry, it is just a joke) – I wonder what those ballerinas eat all day… Actually, the one who throws herself at the end could very well have flown high with the birds…
Excellent second half of the video, but I feel like the first half is kind of weak. Not being the favored ballerina isn’t really a good reason to commit suicide. If not being the best or not being appreciated is enough to make you want to kill yourself, then that’s a sign of a severe mental disorder (from a psychiatric perspective). It would’ve been better if they depicted a more serious problem that led to her depression. Just my two cents…
This video totally matches the song! This was exactly what I had expected, amazing job 🙂
Yess I saw it this afternoon and well I think the video is like art or an painting. When you hear a song, you make your own movie in your head with it, its in human nature…you want indentificate with it. For me this song is about struckling with yourself and some hopeless feelings.. like feeling lost and you can not cope with it, its like if you are fighting with your conscience. It’s the question we all ask ourself sometimes: am I good enough…for him, her, the world and you really want to scream for appreciation! Anouk told that… Read more »