Listen up: Ingrid Michaelson, the twee ukelele-playing Rogaine gifter has made the video of 2014. Well, one of the videos at least.
The visual for her first single off the forthcoming Lights Out, "Girls Chase Boys," takes a cue from Robert Palmer. Alright, it takes a boatload of cues from Robert Palmer — but flips them on its well-made-up head. In her nod to "Simply Irresistible," Michaelson sings in front of hot, uniformed people in skirts, tight tops, and makeup; only here, the dancers are all men in drag. It's tasteful and does Palmer justice.
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Some fans, however, didn't buy into the concept. One commented that the video "was disturbingly gross" and made them "ashamed of today's society." Michaelson took it upon herself to defend the video and said she was proud she made the video and spread "love to all."
In an official statement, Michaelson explains how the song progressed: "‘Girls Chase Boys’ started out as a breakup song but took on a deeper meaning as I continued writing. More than just being about my experience, its focus shifted to include the idea that, no matter who or how we love, we are all the same. The video takes that idea one step further and attempts to turn stereotypical gender roles on their head. Girls don’t exclusively chase boys, we all know this. We all chase each other and in the end we are all chasing after the same thing: love.”
Amen, Ingrid. Amen. "Girls Chase Boys" is a refreshing take on the whole "Love Is Love"/"Born This Way" notion that's been at the forefront of the zeitgeist for a while now. And, in light of all the trans* discussions beginning to gain momentum, it feels incredibly relevant. Ingrid Michaelson is today's little voice that's making the loudest of sounds. Check it out below.
(BuzzFeed)