Jessica Mauboy’s new video has divided opinion — is it a Hot Jess or a Hot Mess?
Mauboy dropped the clip for her top five hit Can I Get a Moment.
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In the ruthless world of instant online experts some have already hailed the video as sexy while others say it “looks like it cost $2.”
The video’s You Tube page is a barometer of mixed opinions.
Malinov24 says “I loved the song but I honestly expected more out of the video. All her outfits were not very flattering of her figure. This to me is her worst video.”
?atúš | @MattLXS
Found Can I Get A Moment? by Jessica Mauboy. Good song but the video looks like it cost $2 :( http://shz.am/t154409752
12:58 PM - 29 Oct 2014
The Brown Lamb noted “Why does Jess always have the best songs but worst music videos :/”
Cacticris added “Yeah there’s something off about this video. The song is great though.”
But Damian Nicholas of website Auspop hailed the video, stating: “There’s more to the clip than just her polished delivery out front of the band. There’s some serious making love to the camera here, suggesting to us that Jess is growing increasingly comfortable in her sexuality and her standing as one of Australia’s premier pop talents.”
Petra Starke ? @petstarr
I am actually kind of speechless that Sony put out that Jessica Mauboy video like that. The girl deserves so much better!
12:55 PM - 29 Oct 2014
Mike Wass of American website Idolator compared the video to Beyonce’s no-frills performance based clip for Love on Top, calling the video “cute but familiar.”
“Can I Get A Moment? obviously draws inspiration from Beyonce’s Love On Top visual, which was a cute reworking of New Edition’s If It Isn’t Love clip. It’s hardly surprising given Jessica’s love for all things Queen Bey and the format fits the song perfectly.”
idolator dot com ? @idolator
.@JessicaMauboy's "Can I Get A Moment?" video is a nod to @Beyonce's "Love On Top": http://idola.to/1sBSR3t
12:20 PM - 29 Oct 2014
Adelaide journalist Matt Gilbertson noted “The song is as good as Beyonce ... the video is a little Michelle (Williams) :(“
The video was filmed at Crown casino in Melbourne and was directed by Stu Gosling, whose CV includes Ronan Keating, Westlife, Girls Aloud and Las Ketchup.
Last year Mauboy’s record label Sony axed X Factor winner Dami Im’s clip for Alive after fans said it looked cheap and awkward. Her mentor Dannii Minogue directed a replacement version.
Australian video budgets have dropped in the past decade, around the same time as Channel 10 axed Video Hits, the last outlet for pop videos to get played in full on commercial TV.
The only remaining video-based programs are Rage, which plays Top 40 videos in the wee hours, and The Loop, which airs at 9am Saturdays on Ten’s digital network Eleven, and effectively replaced Video Hits.
Ten now repeat their morning show Studio 10 and episodes of Dr Phil on a Saturday morning.
Aside from You Tube, the only other exposure for music videos in Australia is on cable TV.
The song has continued Mauboy’s impressive run in the chart — making her the most successful Australian Idol export behind Guy Sebastian.
Debuting in the ARIA chart at No. 5 this week, Can I Get a Moment? became Mauboy’s eighth Top 10 single, her fifth top five single and her third top 10 debut.
The song, written by American A-list producer Babyface, will appear on a reissue of Mauboy’s album Beautiful, which is nominated for Album of the Year at this year’s ARIA Awards.