CLAIRO - Music Marketing

Clairo started out by uploading music to YouTube from her bedroom. Her breakout song “Pretty Girl” went viral in 2017, and the “lo-fi webcam-style” video helped define the early sound of bedroom pop. It was casual and natural, showing Clairo lip-syncing in her room, switching outfits, and embracing imperfection. That video made her relatable to Gen Z audiences and proved that authenticity could be more popular than polished production.

She signed to Fader Label and later worked with producer Rostam Batmanglij on her debut album Immunity in 2019. The album included songs like “Bags” and “Sofia,” which explored themes of mental health, and queer love. Her soft vocals and emotional lyrics became her signature style, and she gained a reputation for being vulnerable and honest in her music.

Her second album Sling showed a more mature sound, influenced by 1970s singer-songwriters like Carole King. It was written during the pandemic and focused on isolation, and anxiety. The production was more acoustic and stripped back, but still kept her emotional tone.

For this blog, I looked at her music video for “Terrapin” and her official website : https://clairo.com

The video is surreal and playful, starring Weird Al Yankovic as Clairo. It’s set in a 1960s-inspired world with bright colours, sequins, and old Hollywood-style sets. The video mixes humour and nostalgia, showing Clairo’s willingness to experiment with visuals and storytelling. It’s directed by Ayo Edebiri and shot on 35mm film, which gives it a dreamy, vintage look. The video doesn’t follow a clear story but feels like a performance piece, full of strange moments and dramatic camera angles.

Clairo’s website matches her aesthetic. It’s soft and minimal, with pastel colours and simple fonts. Her merch reflects her style, hoodies, vinyls, and posters with dreamy designs. The site promotes her latest album Charm and includes links to her tour dates and music videos. It feels personal and calm, like her music. There’s no flashy graphics or loud colours, just a clean layout that reflects her quiet confidence.

The homepage also includes a merch section with items inspired by her albums Immunity, Sling, and Charm. The designs are subtle and artistic, often using hand-drawn elements or vintage-style photos. This helps build her brand as someone who values emotion and simplicity over mainstream pop visuals.

Clairo is known for being open about her mental health and identity. She’s spoken about anxiety, bisexuality, and the pressure of growing up online. Her fans connect with her because she’s honest and doesn’t try to be perfect. Her music feels like a diary, and her visuals support that feeling.

One thing I could borrow is her experimental camera angles and shot types to create variety in my music video.