Synopsis

Marina performs directly to camera across a series of stylized tableaux that shift between abstraction and vulnerability. She appears coated in black oil and glitter, covered in vivid geometric body paint, decorated with jewel-like makeup, and eventually stripped back to her unadorned self. The transformations mirror the song's contrast between emotional armor and genuine feeling. Rather than following a conventional narrative, the video builds its impact through tightly framed portraits, theatrical makeup, stark backgrounds, and Marina's increasingly exposed presence.

Factoids & Trivia

• The original video premiered on June 24, 2009, ahead of the release of Marina's debut album, "The Family Jewels."

• Marina described the song as being about emotional numbness and detachment, while also criticizing the way technology can weaken human interaction.

• The video uses five principal visual stages, moving from heavily manipulated appearances toward Marina's natural look.

• Marina said the makeup process took approximately 18 hours.

• The black oil used in one sequence reacted with her skin and reportedly took around 40 minutes to remove.

• An alternative version was filmed on Hollywood Boulevard and released in April 2010 for the song's US campaign.