Synopsis

In a stark black-and-white setup, Olga Bell performs "Oyster" directly to the camera, shifting between poised singer and an answering character modeled on Tom Vek. The stripped-down presentation gradually takes on the feel of a minimalist fashion commercial, with Bell's expressions and gestures supplying most of the drama. Near the end, she breaks the illusion by removing a pink wig and eating an oyster, then turns the awkward interruption into one more knowingly posed moment for the camera.

Factoids & Trivia

• "Oyster" was the AA-side of Nothankyou's debut release, paired with "Know Yourself." The single came out through Moshi Moshi Records in August 2013 as a limited-edition 7-inch and digital download.

• Nothankyou brought together Brooklyn-based musician Olga Bell and London-based multi-instrumentalist Tom Vek. Bell was also associated with Dirty Projectors during this period.

• The video's monochrome look and direct-to-camera posing recall the clean, provocative style of 1990s Calvin Klein advertising.

• Bell handles both sides of the video's central exchange, effectively turning a duet into a solo performance with an off-screen counterpart represented through her own character work.

• The oyster-eating sequence functions as a deliberately strange commercial-style punchline, extending the video's mock-advertising concept rather than resolving its narrative.

• Russell Cramer served as director of photography and co-editor, while Jie Yi also edited and handled the After Effects work. Hair and makeup were by Mila Arsovksa and Laramie Glen.