REVIEW OF MUSIC VIDEO FOR SONG "ONLY GIRL (IN THE WORLD)"

INTRODUCTION:
It takes a spark from a spark-plug to ignite a chamber of fuel in a car engine.
It takes a certain kind of artist with a certain kind of charisma to add spark to a chamber the best music makers in the world. Only James Cameron was omitted from this roll-call. Rihanna Fenty has what it takes and a little more. If you don't like Riri as much as we do, and don't want to **** her as much as I do, then I think you should quit reading this article at this point. LOL!

This article is strictly for girls and guys that love Riri as much as we love(d) Pac.
Yeah. Right. Now you get the picture.
I'll start from the bottom talking about this song – just to give adequate emphasis to its 'market value' to the inhabitants of this planet, before we talk of anything else. Just so that y'all can feel the 'weight' of this track and its accompanying music video. Riri ain't no pushover as a creative artist, y'all. And neither is Cristyle -- nor the Stargate people. I love 'em all. They're excellent music makers
On January 2, 2011, "Only Girl" was listed as the 15th most downloaded song of all time in the U.K. That's really something. That's success. Well done, Riri. Also, as of July 2011, the single has sold more than 3 million paid downloads in the United States alone, tying Rihanna with Kate Perry as the female artist with the most songs to top the 3 million download mark in the U.S. If that isn't making history, folks, then I guess that I just don't know what is! The song has been certified 3x platinum by the Recording Association of America. It has since been certified 5x platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association for shipments of 350,000 units. In New Zealand, the song entered the chart at number one for 1 week, and has since been certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. The song has also since been certified Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for shipments of 600,000 units.
In Germany, the song peaked at number 2 and was certified Platinum in February 2011 for shipments of 300,000 copies.
That's the thing with good stuff. It sells itself. Ahia oma ne re onwe ya. A goldfish simply has no hiding place. These are songs that will reign forever. 50 years from now when many of us will be old and gray or dead and gone, some new-wave radio presenter is going to play this song on some Sunday afternoon somewhere in some town in the world, say Owerri, say Hot 99.5FM, and call it a blast—from-the-past.
Wow.
But I have a question,though. What is it about stars like Rihanna Fenty and Beyonce Knowles that endears them to us so much? What is that “thing”?
Is that thing what they call “star quality”?
Is that something that you develop over time?
Or is it something that you are born with?
So many questions.
So many.

BED OF ROSES
Who says life isn't a bed of roses?
I also disagree with all my Facebook friends who stubbornly maintain that that big pink lifelike size flower that she lovingly holds and leans on in the video symbolizes ...er...femininity. Tunji, you guys are wrong. It doesn't symbolize a pudenda. It symbolizes “art”. Flowers and petals and...
Anyways...

INTRODUCTION
Rihanna sure looks good today. She's cleaned up her dominatrix act -- that razor sharp sexuality is done away with. But the twenty-three-year-old is still as attractive as she was when we first saw her in Pon De Replay. And we still love her just as much as we did back then.

THAT LOOK
Anyway she still has that look on her face every now and then in this video. :0) I like that look. It makes my nature rise. You know...no matter how far we succeed in taking Rihanna away from her roots, we just can never seem to be able to take Barbados out of Rihanna. That's not happening! Not ever! It's in her blood.

GOOD GIRL GONE BAD
Riri's a bad girl and we love her for it. She ain't been acting. She's real. Good girl gone bad forever! And no it wasn't Jay. Neither was it Chris. It was provenance. Destiny, more like. Barbados, y'all. Sex kitten turned sex machine turned sex kitten again? Yeah. Riri calls this evolution. I call it creative instability bordering on madness. She says she's taking the next step. Don't blame the singer, y'all. Blame that ol' Barbadian bush tea those women start giving their kids when they attain three months of age. :0(

THE WAIST MOVEMENT
Anyway, I'm watching the video... like my boss says I should... or I'll get sacked... and I'm liking the video. The waist movement. It's still there. I'm happy about this. :0) I was getting a little worried. I was thinking maybe she'd done away with that too in pursuance of this new Bad Girl Gone Good image.

****-FACE
And, no. I disagree with all the folks that insist that Riri's ***face alone wins her most of her awards. They're wrong! It isn't just that. There's a handsome dose of talent and creativity in that mix. The flower concept in this music video worked wonders. And she is the one and only person seen in the video. That's so narcissistic. But then again, it IS what the song is about, right? And besides, the song itself is nothing short of superb. I'm sure you all agree.
The way she puts her finger in her mouth like that thoroughly confuses me. I wish she wouldn't keep doing that every four minutes and ten seconds... Oh! I put the video on repeat! Silly me. I've been watching this thing in circles!

THE DIRECTOR, ANTHONY MANDLER
I've always known Anthony Mandler to shoot "strong" Snoop and Mary J. Blige and Eminem photos and music videos. I was a little surprised that he did this video.
And why did they shoot the video in San Diego and not Owerri? :0( That's not nice. I told her to come to Owerri. Why is she so stubborn?
It's a cool and colorful music video, though, and I really like it. I wish there were a little more humans in it though.
Mandler did well. I love the air of freedom that surrounds the way she throws herself into those flowers and jumps around on the hillsides. Her dressing is nice; the sweater, skirts and all. Even themulti-coloured baloons are sweety and girly. But I don't really understand the swing that hangs from the sky. What does that symbolize? And the tree covered with blinking lights. Er, that's a Christmas tree, right, Riri? Did y'all see Riri's hair at the last Billboard Awards? :0)
Well in all this music video's fun and happy and full of life. Vibrant and young and sexy. No dark themes here. And the song has such a catchy chorus! :0) Wow!
Wikipedia tells me that Ryan Crest played this song before anyone else on his Radio Show a whole 3 days before it was on sale to the occupants of planet earth! Wow. That's power! :0)

THE LYRICS
The lyrics are lacklustre and innocent and weak.
I'll make you feel like a man even though you're a puny lil' ol' wimp! :0(
(How come I have the feeling Rihanna's talking to me?)

ARTIST: Robin Rihanna Fenty
DIRECTOR: Anthony Mandler
YEAR: Sept 10, 2010 (Song). 13th Oct, 2010 (Video).
AWARDS: Won Best Dance Recording at 53rd Grammy Awards in L.A. on Feb 13th 2011 .
ALBUM: “Loud”

MUSIC MAKERS:

Writers: Cri$tyle (Crystal Nicole Johnson), Stargate (Mikkel S. Eriksen and Tor Erik Hermansen) and Sandy Vee (a.k.a Sandy Wilhelm).

Recording: Mikkel S. Eriksen, Miles Walker, Sandy Vee.

Vocal Production: Kuk Harrell.

Vocal Recording: Kuk Harrell, Marcos Tovar, Josh Gudwin (no, not Josh Glaze!).

Assistant Vocal Recording: Inaam Haq, Dane Liska, Brad Shea.

Mixing: Sandy Vee, Philip Tan.

Additional and assistant engineering: Damien Lewis.

Instruments: Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Sandy Vee.

Backing vocals: Cristyle

Mastering: Chris Gehringer

Recorded in 2010 at Roc the Mic Studios, New York
Recorded in 2010 at Westlake Recording Studios, Los Angeles
Recorded in 2010 at The Bunker Studios, Paris

RECORD COMPANY: The Island Def Jam Music Group.
RATING: 92%
REVIEWER: Bob-Carl.