Melanie Martinez - Carousel

Melanie Martinez is an American singer , songwriter and visual artist, Best known for her dark theatrical pop music and elaborate , conceptual storytelling.

She first gained attention in 2012 as a contestant on The Voice (season 3) where she stood out from her unique covers , like "toxic" from Britney spears. After leaving that show , she built a cult following with her distinctive style that blends childlike aesthetics with eerie mature themes. She is also known for directing her own music videos , creating intricate stage designs , and budling immersive worlds around her albums

TEXT 1

Genre + conventions

"Carousel" is a dark alternative pop song and music video. Melanie uses dark eerie and unsettling visuals. .Whilst the majority of pop leaned towards bright , glamorous and up lighting visual .Unlike conventional pop love stories Melanie's storyline is about entrapment .Instead of selling glamour , wealth or romance , the video builds her unique "dark fairy-tale" world. However conventionally she includes the performance + narrative mix _ singing directly at the camera but acting out the storyline (chasing someone in the carousel) - very common in pop visuals.

Narrative

The video takes place in a creepy carnival setting , where Melanie is trapped on a carousel while chasing after an elusive love interest Carousel is about the futility of unrequired love , represented though the carnival imagery .Describing the feeling of chasing someone who never reciprocated , comparing it to being stuck on a carousel - endlessly going in circles without progress .Melanie being stuck on the carousel , symbolises how people can feel trapped in unhealthy emotional loops. In the closing of the video Melanie is still trapped on the carousel , highlighting the futility of escape from loop his emotional loop.

Representation

The carousel in the music video represents cycles of obsession , unrequited love , and emotional stagnation. Carnivals are usually places of fun , but here appear eerie and isolating. The inversion represents how something seemingly sweet (love and attraction) can turn unsettling when it becomes obsessive or unreciprocated. The carnival setting suggest a place of joy , but the video flips it into a metaphor for disappointment in love. Melanie continues to reach for someone she can never quite catch . This imagery represents emotional unavailability - someone always out of reach . no matter how much effort is put in.

Media Language

The close ups emphasise Melanie's emotional expressions , building audience identification . The circular camera movements also mirror the carousel motion , reinforcing the cyclical theme. The mode of address is direct eye contact and emotional intensity which may create intimacy with the viewer , drawing them into the obsessive cycle. In a polysemy context audiences can read the video as a literal love story , a metaphor for toxic love cycles , or an expression for personal anxiety.

Audience appeal

Carousel appeals to gen z by constructing an alternative , authentic identity though its eerie carnival aesthetic . Offering a counter narrative to glossy mainstream pop. Gen z values authenticity and uniqueness , often rejecting mainstream "plastic" pop stars . It was at its peak popularity in Tumblr communities in 2014 when the app Tumblr was at its most popular point. Carousel was featured in the trailer for American Horror Story : Freak Show (2014) which gave Melanie massive exposure . Her association with this show as it was highly trending at the time gave her a cult following early in her career.

Things to borrow

I really like the pastel colure palette mixed with creepy and interesting visuals and the matching actions that follow though with the lyrics.

TEXT 2

The placement of "Carousel" in the American Horror Story freak show trailer created a synergistic relationship between the TV serries and Melanie's single .

FX (the network behind American horror story) benefited from the haunting , memorable track that matched the horror theme , while Melanie gained exposure to the shows cult audience This cross - promotion was mutually beneficial , boosting both the serries anticipation and Melanie's visibility as a rising alternative pop artist

The American Horror Story fanbase overlaps significantly with Melanie's target demographic (teens and young adults , particularly Gen Z with an interest in alternative , gothic and horror aesthetics)Both freakshow and "Carousel" explore themes of entrapment , carnival grotesque and twisted innocence. By aligning her music with an established cult fandom , Melanie positioned herself as an authentic part of the subcultural world , not just a mainstream pop star.

As an emerging artist signed to Atlantic records , Melanie needed strategic marketing to break though . American horror story was one of the most popular TV shows among young audiences in 2014 , with a reputation for stylish , edgy marketing campaigns. The trailer acted as free mass promotion , reaching millions of protentional fans who may have not discovered her though traditional ways or radio.

The use of "Carousel" in the American Horror Story Freak show trailer was a pivotal marketing move . Melanie Martinez was introduced to a cult fanbase that perfectly matched her brand identity . This ensured she entered the industry not as a mainstream pop act , but as a alternative artist with authenticity and niche appeal - a strategy that cemented her long - term success.