The networks have been filled with videos reacting to the singer’s latest song, further proof of the pull of this format
What is more fun: putting on the video clip of Shakira’s latest song or seeing Ibai Llanos reacting to it? The Spanish streamer is not the only one who was waiting live for the publication of the song produced by Bizarrap at midnight on Wednesday. Within hours of its premiere, there were dozens of reactions on YouTube from various parts of the planet but with the same level of astonishment: exclamations, curses, open mouths and even those raised from their chairs followed each verse. “Mother of God and my life,” Ibai released. «Rest in peace Gerard Piqué». The winks thrown by the Colombian towards her ex-partner have been celebrated as goals in a grand final.
Seeing the number of views of these clips (Ibai’s has already exceeded four million), it’s hard to believe that the approach is so simple. The so-called ‘reaction videos’, a whole genre on social networks, consist of recording first impressions of anything, such as a song or a
trailer. Perhaps the audiovisual and musical are the most frequent categories, but we spend our lives reacting and everything fits on the networks: from
failed beauty tricks until
penalty rounds either
kitchen Recipes. The ease that TikTok specifically offers to respond and interact with any other video has made the reply many times more interesting and charismatic than the first proposal.
Of course, reactions can be exaggerated. Codifying this trend runs the risk of forcing emotions and reproducing fuss to attract clicks. They are videos that usually express raw emotion, without filters. It gives us a rush of effusiveness, a laugh or a start of disgust. Why a calm and reflective analysis if in six minutes we can get on a roller coaster of grimaces and outbursts? Youtubers and streamers react to something “outrageous” (this is how Ibai described Shakira’s song) or to something horrendous, but the intermediate is surely not worth it, the nuances are too common.
Aesthetically, these clips are
all very similar. Having two images in one has become frequent in our day-to-day life, and we live, we would say, with several windows open: watching series and checking the mobile or editing a document with a Twitch live stream next to it. Perhaps you have to wonder why a single experience is no longer enough… There is something of this in the reaction videos: there is the original and its response, an interpretation (enthusiastic, ironic or poignant) that can also be superimposed to stretch to the limit. infinite
the referential game.
the genuine surprise
Outside of the professional channels, there are also sparks of authenticity and connection. The scenes caught on the fly escape this homogenization and are more authentic. Being witnesses when a person finds out something makes us participants in that experience or allows us to relive it if we already knew it. Here there is no longer ironic distance or sarcastic comment:
a deaf girl reacting to sound for the first time or
the child who opens his Christmas presents in full euphoria. The documentary vein wins the game and then we are facing something downright exciting. This boy celebrated
so happy the final kiss of ‘Heartstopper’, the Netflix series, a milestone for the LGTBI collective. You see it and you almost feel lucky to be able to witness that joy.
#Shakira #revolutionizes #screens