No power pop ballad would be complete without a power pop music video, right? In most cases yes, but the difference between quality ideas and the quantity of ideas is a fine line to balance. Katy Perry's music video for her second single off of Prism, "Unconditionally," is beautiful, but its ideas are almost too big for its boots.
The song itself, if you couldn't guess from the title, is an ode to loving each and every aspect of someone, no matter how dirty their laundry may be. It's a sugary confection that's not seeking to break any new ground, but feels relevant and all too Perry. The visual, however, amps up the drama with French monarchy costumes, a new age gothic Katy Perry, and a lot of slow-mo — like, a lot. Had Perry kept the tableau scenarios to, say, the waltz and a snowscape, the impact it sought (whatever it may be) would have been felt more than it is now. Instead, Perry erupts into flame, there's a car crash, a family setting, and an underwater ballet. Sure, unconditional love means taking a bullet in stride, ruining a Dolce & Gabbana outfit by diving into the depths of the sea, and an owl (don't ask), but having all of that packed into less than four minutes translates to an unconditional sense of overwhelming confusion — a beautiful and extremely awe-inducing unconditional sense of overwhelming confusion.