Case Study for Kwabs Wrong or Right

1. Narrative Case Study
Kwabs – Wrong Or Right

2. Institutional Information
The music video I have chose for the narrative case study
is ‘Wrong or Right’ by Kwabs. The music video was
released on January 21st 2014 on YouTube as part of the
promotion for Kwabs’ Love & War EP. The video
is set in London, and shows the living conditions of those
in less wealthy positions. The singer, Kwabs, migrated
from Ghana at a young age to pursue a better life in the
UK. The music video helps show the audience the reality
of the situation they found themselves in when they
travelled to the UK.

3. Concept of the Music Video
The music video depicts a young Black man, who
lives in a council estate tower block, fed up with life
and the predicament he finds himself in. A sudden
force drives the man to start dancing, catching the
attention of other members of the public with them
also joining in. Although simplistic, the video tells a
meaningful story of how individuals often feel lonely
and detached from society. The music video suggests
a breaking down of barriers between lonely individuals
and wider society.

4. Linear Narrative Structure
The music videos composition conforms to the criteria of a linear narrative structure, by
having the events that take place following a chronological order. The progression of the
music video shows the individual’s transformation from being alone to being innovated to
change. The narrative structure coincides with the progression of the main character.
Goodwin stated that the narrative helps amplify or conflict with the lyrics of the track,
allowing the narrative to influence how the audience interpret the track. In the context of
‘Wrong or Right’, Goodwin’s theory can be clearly seen through the narrative’s
amplification of the lyrics, by giving a complimenting and easy to follow visual structure.
For example, the lyric ‘Back into the habit, see it in your eyes’ is complimented by the
visual of a young man being influenced by the protagonist of the music video.

5. Linear Narrative Structure cont.
The linear narrative is the most common within many music
videos of contemporary tracks. This allows for the artist to tell
a simple story to accompany their music. An example of a
mainstream linear music video is The Weeknd’s ‘The Hills’
which shows a scene of a car crash and the main character
walking away from it in a linear structure. This allows for the
audience to follow the story closely and make sense of the
artist’s message or ideology.

6. Circular Narrative Structure
A circular narrative is conceptualized by the idea that the narrative starts and ends in the same
place, bringing it full circle. In context to ‘Wrong or Right’ the main character starts off laying on the
bed, with no motivation and ends with the force that gave him his motivation leaving him standing,
confused over the events of the music video. The innocence and bewilderment of the main
character is circular through the narrative, by having him desolated and disillusioned with reality at
both the beginning and end of the music video.

7. Barthes Code
Claude Levi Strauss argues that texts fall under two
categories. The first is that texts are open, in which they
are ambiguous and left to the audience to interpret the
story of the music video. The second is the opposite, that
texts are closed in which their no ambiguity in the story
and it is clear cut. In relation to the music video for ‘Wrong
or Right’ the music video is very much open to
interpretation. The story of the music video is not very
clear and can have many different interpretations such as
the fight against aggression or racist stereotypes.