Music Video Showdown: Katy Perry, The Black Keys, REM top list of online hits

“The One That Got Away” — Katy Perry

The California Girl’s latest single “The One That Got Away” takes a heartrending look back to a lost love. The music video’s trailer — you know it’s going to be good when the four-minute video has its own trailer — opens with, “The past is like a handful of dust; it filters through your fingers, disappearing little by little.” The video, which premiered Friday, follows the on-screen high school love of Perry and Mexican actor/heartthrob Diego Luna. It begins with an elderly Perry, in heavy makeup, scoffing at her husband — not the one who got away. The video’s story plays through the lyrics of the “Teenage Dream” single, showing the story of “the summer after high school” and “matching tattoos” up until the truly depressing end that closes out with a faint “You Are My Sunshine” by Johnny Cash — another lyrical reference back to Perry’s June and Johnny Cash love.

“Lonely Boys” — The Black Keys

Ohio-born alternative rockers The Black Keys are gearing up for their seventh studio album El Camino, due in stores Dec. 6. Their first single of the record “Lonely Boy” has drummed up excitement for the upcoming release with its minimal and rather quirky approach to its music video. Directed by Jesse Dylan — the eldest son of legend Bob Dylan — the video showcases Derrick T. Tuggle’s one-of-a-kind dance moves. Who’s Tuggle, you ask? He is a 48-year-old actor, musician and part-time security guard, according to MTV.com. The video literally is one continuous look at Tuggle’s side-to-side hip swings and occasional fist pumps, intertwined with some light lyrical accompaniment and hand motions ­— like a look at his watch with “any old time to keep me waiting” and a cradling motion for “your mama kept you.” The video closes with Tuggle, one fist in the air and hip popped to the side in front of a motel office building. It’s just that great.

“We All Go Back to Where We Belong” — R.E.M.

We all go back to where we belong. R.E.M., which released its first album in 1983, is bringing its rock reign to an end with its final album “Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage 1982–2011.” The band’s final single — the lead from the closing compilation album of greatest hits — “We All Go Back to Where We Belong” sends a message in its title but only compounds the hidden meaning in its set of two music videos. The first video features actress Kirsten Dunst in one focused black-and-white shot. She’s sitting in one spot, in front of a white wall, nervously smiling and looking away from the pointed camera for the entirety of the low-key, lighthearted single. The second video takes the same approach, instead spotlighting poet and AIDS activist John Giorno. They’re awkward and unexpected but sweet and captivating all in the same chord.

“We Found Love” — Rihanna

It’s risqué and provocative and circles around a relationship turned bad, through the lens of drug abuse and domestic violence. Rihanna’s video for her hit track “We Found Love” is controversial. But in its passion and emotion, it outdoes its backing track with a powerful story told through a crashing romance with a Chris Brown — Rihanna’s ex — look-alike. The video tells a tale that amounts to a love-charged, devastating end, forcing flashbacks to the highly publicized end to Rihanna and Brown’s relationship. The song has found success on the top charts, but the video outdoes the repetitive “We found love in a hopeless place” chorus, adding to the sentiment in a much more powerful way. An English voice leads into the dramatics saying, “You always feel ashamed that someone could be that important, that without them you feel like nothing,” as images of the end — a defeated and hopeless Rihanna — paint a picture of an all-consuming love gone sour.

“Someone Like You” — Adele

She’s so classy. And it’s just one of those songs that doesn’t get old. “Someone Like You” brings the tears, and as was highlighted in a “Saturday Night Live” sketch this weekend, it pulls at the emotions of men and women alike — it’s the perfect track for a good pity party or full-out ugly cry. The video for the top track is understated in its elegance but manages that same broken and bitter yet completely love-struck sass the song is famous for. The camera stays centered on Adele’s face, bringing out the emotion of the song in her delivery. She shoots coy glances at the camera, seemingly looking directly into the eyes of the subject of the song. The five-minute video of pure emotion is shot in black and white in Paris as Adele walks through the city’s streets until the end, where the songstress is staring at her man walking away beside her own reflection in the mirror.

“Sing for Me” — Yellowcard

After a three-year hiatus, the “Ocean Avenue” band is back with its seventh studio release, March’s “When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes.” The album’s third single “Sing for Me” debuted with an inspiring and experience-driven video Oct. 26. The video begins highlighting the stories of Kyle who lost his mother to cancer, Mercedes and her dad who are homeless and living out of their van, Ashley whose friend was killed by a drunk driver and others stricken by hardships. All of the tales come together with the message: “We all have a story. These are of survival and staying positive.” The different “survivors” share their stories through photos and written message in a very Post Secret–esque way, as the track shines through with, “I just hope you know the future in your heart is just about to start.” It’s a little cliché, but there’s always something special about the tie-in to real, personal experience.

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My Jakarta: Melody, Teenlit Writer and Fullbright Recipient to Teach Bahasa in …

Azalia Primadita Muchransyah, also known as Melody, is an author of teen literature whose passion for writing comes from her father’s reading habits and her mother’s writing talent. She learned about Indonesian teenage life, the subject of her writings, firsthand, although more recently she’s learned the importance of research in character development.

The undergraduate has had several of her works published. She is studying psychology — and keeping up with current events in Indonesia — at Johns Hopkins University in the United States, to which she received a prestigious Fulbright scholarship.

Melody is a rather unusual name. Is it a pen name?

Lots of people think Melody is an alias or a pseudonym, but actually it’s the nickname my parents gave me when I was still a little girl. ‘Melo’ means ‘follow’ in Palembang while ‘d’ and ‘y’ are the initials of my parents’ nicknames. I consider it my parent’s prayer for me.

What is it with writers and pen names?

For me, it’s for practicality. At first, I tried using my full name, which is Azalia Primadita Muchransyah, but it was too long and not catchy enough to be remembered. So I decided to use my nickname with my father’s surname.

What differentiates your work from that of other writers of teenage literature?

I cannot describe it myself, but my friends always tell me my writing style is different from other writers in terms of how real my characters are. I always write what I know best. If I don’t know what I’m about to write, I do background research. I personally think it’s necessary to make the story as real as possible. I also always try to inspire my readers by giving them some underlying messages in my stories.

Is teen-lit is good for teenagers?

Definitely, reading is healthy food for the soul. A good reader can always find something worth learning from any kind of book he or she reads, including teen-lit. Besides, reading something close to their life, with all its ups and downs, may give teenagers a better perspective on their life.

What about the common perception that teen-lit is filled with nothing but teenage love?

The fact is that romance is inevitable in any good story — even mystery and sci-fi books have romance. And if we looked back at our own experiences, we would realize that the teen years are the time when love blossoms for the first time. That is what we remember the most about that particular time of our life.

You published your first article when you were 14 and your first novel when you were 17. What made you realize your passion and eventual career in writing?

I didn’t realize it at first. As a teenager, I always pushed myself to try new things just to know where my interests really were. My father’s reading habits and my mother’s knack for writing very much jump-started my passion. I wrote my first stories when I was a teenager so I mostly captured Indonesian teenage life, which is what I knew best, so it was quite easy at the time. But now, as my writing develops, I conduct background research to enrich my stories, a process that I enjoy very much.

What do you think it takes to write a best-selling teen-lit novel?

I have always told myself to do my best without setting expectations. So when I write, I don’t think about a ‘best-seller’ stamp. Instead, I just try to enjoy the process so that I can write my best without too much pressure. But as a reader, I always like stories with strong characters and twisted endings.

Do you want to stay in teen-lit?

I always motivate myself to be better and to experience new things and to accomplish many things in life. I plan to write a more serious piece of literature in the future.

Why did you choose psychology instead of literature for your undergraduate studies?

I actually fell in love with psychology after I learned how to write strong and believable characters. Psychology turned out to be the right decision. It also helps me in knowing myself and my passion better and has given me a better understanding of my family and friends.

Tell us about your study at Johns Hopkins University.

I received a Fulbright FLTA (Foreign Language Teaching Assistant) scholarship to promote foreign languages and culture in the US and became a youth ambassador for Indonesia at the School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University.

I primarily teach Bahasa to SAIS students concentrating in Southeast Asian Studies. They have a great deal of interest in Indonesian politics and culture, which is why I have to keep myself updated on Indonesia’s current issues. I also conduct tutorials and Indonesian roundtables and hold an Indonesian movie night monthly.

How does Washington, DC, compare to Jakarta?

DC is such an international city. Around 40 percent of the people I meet here are Americans and the rest are from different cultures and backgrounds. That is why the tolerance level is very high. Jakarta is more like a national city. Nearly everyone in Jakarta is Indonesian. But DC is as crowded as Jakarta, along with its traffic, although the metro subway and pedestrian walkways make DC a friendlier city for commuters.

Melody Muchransyah was talking to Edison Lestari.

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