‘We Are Live’ N°145 – 2010s Music Videos

1 . Nicholas McDonald – Answerphone

“Answerphone,” the debut single by Scottish singer Nicholas McDonald, finds itself caught between earnest intent and an execution that feels more serviceable than memorable.

Released on 16 March 2014 as part of his debut studio album “In the Arms of an Angel,” the track speaks to the longing of a protagonist repeatedly checking his phone for missed connections with a girlfriend, a relatable premise weighed down by an overly polished delivery.

Co-written by McDonald and Paul Barry, the song fits squarely into the contemporary pop mold without straying far from the formula. It’s as if it wants to connect emotionally but settles for predictable grooves instead of venturing into deeper sincerity.

Its music video, filmed during a break from *The X Factor* Live Tour on 5 February 2014, adds little to elevate the song. Premiering on McDonald’s Vevo channel on 18 February, the visuals—much like the track—don’t veer far from standard tropes of the genre.

Despite its debut on Clyde 1’s Breakfast Show on 3 February, “Answerphone” peaked at a modest number 73 on the UK Singles Chart and climbed slightly higher in McDonald’s home country, hitting number 28 on the Scottish Singles Chart. These rankings suggest a lukewarm reception that aligns with the song’s safe approach.

McDonald’s backstory, notably finishing as the runner-up in the tenth series of *The X Factor* without ever facing elimination, underscores his vocal abilities and stage presence. Yet, “Answerphone” doesn’t quite capture the charisma that made him a standout on the show.

While McDonald continues to perform live, logging as many as 120 shows per year, this track stands less as a breakthrough moment and more as a competent, if forgettable, step into the industry. Elton John may have praised his performances, and collaborations with artists like Shane Filan hint at potential, but “Answerphone” lacks the kind of spark needed to turn heads or sustain attention long term.

Featured on the 2014 album “In the Arms of an Angel”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Facebook

2 . Miles Kane – Come Closer

“Come Closer,” from Miles Kane’s debut album “Colour of the Trap,” is as direct as its title suggests, yet it’s the layers beneath that beckon the listener.

Described by Kane himself as “sleazy,” the track exudes a seductive swagger that flirts with the glam rock influences of its time. The John Lennon inspiration is tangible, not only in the smoky vocal delivery but in the song’s raw, almost skeletal construction. The beat, reminiscent of Kasabian’s stomp-heavy rhythms, provides a club-ready foundation that feels unmistakably British—gritty yet polished without tipping into excess. Dan Carey’s production ensures this balance, amplifying the song’s lurking sultriness while keeping its primal energy taut.

Its release on 7″ vinyl, complemented by a limited run of signed lyrics, underscores the vision behind this effort: a blend of old-school collectibility with modern flash. The music video, shot in the Mile Way club and featuring Daisy Lowe and Hope Watson, amplifies the “sleazy” aesthetic yet does so with a knowing wink rather than an indulgent leer. Dan Sully’s direction mirrors the track’s duality—a little gritty, a little glamorous.

Yet, despite this ambition, “Come Closer” didn’t storm the charts, peaking modestly at number 85 in the UK and performing similarly across Belgium and France. Its fleeting presence in these territories suggests that while the song captures an imaginative energy, its appeal may not resonate universally. For all its style and sonic nods, it hovers just shy of truly commanding longevity.

As an introduction to Kane’s solo ambitions post-The Little Flames and The Rascals, it stakes out territory but doesn’t quite conquer it. “Colour of the Trap” as a whole, reaching number 11 in the UK Albums Chart, showcases an artist grasping for something distinctive. “Come Closer” is a confident step, but whether it invites repeated entries remains open to interpretation.

Featured on the 2011 album “Colour of the Trap”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

3 . Haim – Forever

“Forever,” the debut single by Haim, sits at the crossroads of quintessential pop rock and a nostalgic nod to the ’80s and ’90s. Released on October 12, 2012, as part of their eponymous EP and later featured on *Days Are Gone* (2013), the track captures the band’s penchant for sleek harmonies and textured instrumentation.

Written by the Haim sisters—Alana, Danielle, and Este—and co-produced with Ludwig Göransson, the song balances clattering percussion with an atmospheric polish. The influence of Fleetwood Mac is unmistakable, particularly in the vocal interplay, though it stops shy of outright mimicry. If Stevie Nicks conjures vast deserts, “Forever” feels more like city streets—lit by neon but shadowed by uncertainty.

Lyrically, the track chronicles a relationship near its breaking point. Its glittering chorus contrasts with the thematic undercurrent of unraveling intimacy, creating a tension that’s as propulsive as it is poignant. The bridge, a standout feature, anchors the song in a moment of emotional clarity without overstaying its welcome.

While it charted modestly—peaking at 75 on the UK Singles Chart and finding niche success in Japan and France—its cultural footprint was amplified by performances on platforms like the *Late Show with David Letterman* and *Jimmy Kimmel Live!*. Its inclusion in live sets at the Glastonbury Festival further cemented its appeal, though the song’s mainstream radio impact in 2014 seemed slightly out of sync with current trends.

Despite its accolades, including helping Haim top the BBC’s Sound of 2013 poll and securing an *NME* “Best International Band” award, “Forever” is less a revelation and more a calculated burst of style. Yet, it’s that meticulousness—borne from the sisters’ background in Rockinhaim—that makes the track an intriguing debut, even if it occasionally sacrifices spontaneity for shine.

Featured on the 2012 album “Days Are Gone”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

4 . Westlife – Better Man

“Better Man,” the second single from Westlife’s 2019 comeback, finds the group navigating familiar terrain while gesturing toward modernity—a calculated alignment of nostalgia and reinvention.

Co-written by Ed Sheeran and Steve Mac, the collaboration underscores a distinct approach to crafting pop ballads: pairing Sheeran’s songwriting sensibilities with Mac’s long-proven ear for radio-friendly dynamics. The resulting track exudes an almost algorithmic predictability, blending sincerity with a polish verging on clinical.

Described by Mark Feehily as a “modern Westlife 2.0 ballad,” the song seems intent on updating the quartet’s emotive palette. However, its attempts to balance fresh textures with echoes of past hits like “Fool Again” and “My Love” lean more toward homage than evolution. One could argue that Fred Gibson’s involvement—marked by work with Clean Bandit and Rita Ora—added contemporary touches, yet these feel restrained, almost like decorative nods to current trends rather than integral elements.

The song’s immediate success, topping iTunes charts across diverse markets like the UK, Ireland, the Philippines, and Singapore, suggests that its aspiration to comfort-longtime fans rather than challenge them paid off. This is further reinforced by its inclusion in “The 20 Tour” setlist and its televised debut on “The Jonathan Ross Show,” framing it more as a vessel for nostalgia than a bid for sonic growth.

Ultimately, “Better Man” is less a bold redefinition of Westlife’s core and more a calculated return to their emotional balladry playbook. For a comeback single, it succeeds professionally, though one wonders if a step further out of the comfort zone might have yielded a more memorable result.

Featured on the 2019 album “Spectrum”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

5 . Jon Bellion – All Time Low

“All Time Low,” the lead single from Jon Bellion’s debut album *The Human Condition* (2016), offers a clinical examination of breakup agony, distilling emotional wreckage into clean, calculated pop precision.

Co-written and co-produced alongside Mark Williams, Raul Cubina, and Travis Mendes, Bellion’s approach demonstrates his signature method: live recording bolstered by acoustic instrumentation and vocal samples. This fusion strikes an odd balance—organic yet algorithmic, intimate yet distant. His reliance on vocal layering in the choruses feels meticulously crafted, almost to a fault, as if emotional spontaneity is sacrificed for sonic perfection.

The song, originally completed in 2014, incubated for two years before being released. That timeline reflects both Bellion’s unwavering confidence in the track and the industry’s cautious deliberation. While its eventual chart performances—#16 on both the US and Canada Singles Top 100 and a respectable #9 in Australia—reflect widespread appeal, it begs the question of whether its glossy production veneer softens its emotional potency.

“All Time Low” seeks to freeze the chaos of heartbreak three days post-breakup into a universal tableaux, but its clinical delivery edges dangerously close to emotional detachment. The live recording sessions at Capitol Studios, featuring Bellion’s lead vocals supported by an acoustic guitarist, beatboxing, and three harmony singers, should evoke rawness. Instead, the tight production polish overrides any fragments of vulnerability that might have punched through.

The accompanying music video, cobbled together from concert footage on the Human Condition Tour, achieves more authenticity, capturing Bellion’s evident passion during live performances. Unsurprisingly, the song resonated well with audiences in several international markets, charting in territories like Finland, Germany, and Ireland, among others.

Perhaps the highlight lies more in its adaptability—a sign of pop craftsmanship rather than emotional singularity. The A$AP Ferg and Stormzy remixes underline its malleability, giving the track new coats of paint while sidestepping its deeper dichotomy: a heartfelt cry weighed down by its own technical ambition.

Featured on the 2016 album “The Human Condition”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

6 . Amelia Lily – Shut Up [And Give Me Whatever You Got]

“Shut Up (And Give Me Whatever You Got)” slots neatly into the pop playground of early 2013, a time when empowerment anthems and electro-charged hooks fought for dominance on the charts.

Amelia Lily’s second single, produced by Brian Higgins and Tim Powell, wears its ‘girl power’ credentials on its sleeve, aiming to project an independent, no-nonsense attitude.

Featuring lyrics penned by a formidable team including Miranda Cooper and Luke Fitton, the track emerges as a layered, if slightly overstated, declaration of self-assured autonomy.

Recorded in 2012, the song leans toward high-octane production, attempting to match its brash message with equally assertive beats.

The music video, a visually striking nod to nightmare symbolism, sees Lily trapped in corridors of glass and performing in dimly lit subterranean spaces reminiscent of *The Dark Knight*’s East London backdrop.

Conceived by Lily herself, the video underscores frustration tinged with an air of rebellion, although its ambition occasionally feels weighed down by its heavy-handed execution.

On release, the single reached number 11 on the UK Singles Chart and fared slightly better in Scotland, peaking at number 8, while making modest appearances in Ireland and Slovakia.

As her first studio-recorded piece, it carries the fingerprints of her post-*X Factor* £500,000 Sony/Xenomania deal, but its polish can’t fully mask its attempts to do too much at once.

Amelia promoted the track with gusto, performing on shows such as *Blue Peter* and *Daybreak*, as well as delivering it live at G-A-Y.

While the ambition is palpable, the single ultimately straddles the space between a pop stomper and overproduced confection, leaving its potential somewhat tethered to its polished yet frenetic delivery.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Instagram

7 . ReConnected – One In A Million

“One In A Million” by ReConnected, a British boy band pieced together through social media and online auditions, reflects the fleeting charm and pitfalls of early 2010s pop experimentation.

Released in 2013, the single occupies a peculiar space in the UK music scene of its time—neither breaking through the mainstream consciousness nor disappearing into anonymity. It charted modestly, peaking somewhere between 20 and 29, though precise data remain as elusive as the group’s sustained relevance.

The song itself does little to redefine the formulaic structure of its genre. Built upon a radio-friendly pop framework, its production feels competent but uninspired, like a band chasing the shadow of greater acts of their era rather than carving their identity. Members Maxak, Harry, Dan, Greg, and Matt labor to inject personality into a package that hedges too many bets on safe hooks and slick studio polish.

What distinguishes ReConnected most is their unconventional genesis—crafted not through traditional talent pipelines but from digital fragments, a noble age-of-the-Internet experiment that fizzled as quickly as it appeared. Their brief existence, punctuated by tracks like “One In A Million,” serves as a footnote in an oversaturated boy band landscape.

For all its earnest ambition, the single’s middling impact mirrors the arc of ReConnected themselves: promising, momentary, and ultimately lost to time, leaving behind only traces of a potential never fully realized.

Featured on the 2013 album “One in a Million”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

8 . Little Mix – Change Your Life

“Change Your Life,” released on 15 February 2013, captures Little Mix at the intersection of ambition and identity, marking the first time the group co-wrote a track together for their debut album, *DNA*.

Produced by Richard Stannard and Tim Powell, the song’s pop-ballad framework leans on a moderate 80 BPM tempo in the key of A major, with violin flourishes and a brief drum-and-bass pivot underscoring its structure. Lyrically, it projects themes of self-love and empowerment, impersonal enough to accommodate both male and female narratives while maintaining a glossy but generic universality that minimizes meaning in favor of mass appeal.

Vocally, the four members trade off solos and harmonies with detectable polish. Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jesy Nelson, and Jade Thirlwall handle a series of well-executed verses, while Perrie Edwards opts for high harmonies that aim for the stirring but land somewhere closer to serviceable.

Chart-wise, it peaked at number twelve in the UK, cracked the top ten in Australia, and notched spots in the top twenty in Ireland and five additional countries. While respectable, these placements reflect its simmering-but-never-boiling energy—adequate to sustain interest but falling short of commanding attention.

Its accompanying music video, a patchwork of in-studio recording vignettes and backstage tour footage, feels like a scrapbook—charming in its intimacy but ultimately low-stakes. It misses an opportunity to elevate the track beyond mere documentation.

Performances on primetime platforms like *Dancing on Ice* and *The Graham Norton Show* bolstered its visibility, though the song’s longevity in the group’s touring repertoire, last making appearances in 2018’s Summer Hits Tour, suggests it serves more as an artifact of early career development than a definitive highlight.

Certified 2× Platinum in Australia, Gold in New Zealand, and Silver in the UK, the track benefited from the residual goodwill Little Mix inherited post-*X Factor*. Yet its reliance on broad strokes and safe production choices renders “Change Your Life” transitional—a bridge between the group’s initial spark and their later, more audacious material.

Featured on the 2012 album “DNA”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

9 . Sam Smith – Lay Me Down (w/ John Legend)

“Lay Me Down” finds Sam Smith anchoring their delicate tenor in a sea of longing, grief, and resolve, a sonic microcosm of the emotional depths explored on *In the Lonely Hour*.

Originally released in 2013 as the album’s lead single, the track initially flickered rather than sparked on the charts, peaking at modest positions like number 46 in the UK and number 25 on the US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.

Fast forward to 2015, and the song re-emerges with the heft of a superstar collaboration as John Legend joins for a Comic Relief charity single, amplifying its resonance and vaulting it to a number one debut on the UK Singles Chart with over 105,000 combined sales.

This duet transforms the original’s solitary ache into a shared, almost spiritual experience, with Smith’s heartfelt opening verse complemented beautifully by Legend’s rich baritone in the second, culminating in an emotionally charged interplay that simmers rather than erupts.

Jimmy Napes and Steve Fitzmaurice ground the production in a restrained yet lush arrangement that allows the interplay of two distinctive voices to take center stage.

While the track’s original melancho-pop essence remains intact, it is undeniably polished by John Legend’s presence, trading raw heartbreak for a more measured, communal poignancy suitable for its charitable purpose.

Despite the initial composition marking Smith’s songwriting debut with Jimmy Napes, its success as a duet underscores a broader evolution—not just of the song’s narrative arc, but of its ability to adapt beyond personal sorrow into collective uplift.

Featured on the 2014 album “In the Lonely Hour”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

10 . Kodaline – Honest

“Honest” by Kodaline presents itself as a plaintive appeal for unvarnished truth in a relationship.

Delivered by Steve Garrigan’s weathered yet emotive voice, the song captures the suffocating tension that arises when words are withheld, as highlighted in lines like “Honestly, there’s no need for you to hide” and “Talk to me, can’t you see, I’m on your side.”

Rather than wallow in ambiguity, the chorus lands a sharp ultimatum: “If you lie to me again, I’ll be the one that walks away,” a line that dissects the fragility of trust with calculated immediacy.

Released in 2015 as part of the album “Coming Up For Air,” the track secured a commendable peak at number 7 on the UK Singles Chart, reflecting its resonance with listeners grappling with relational dissonance.

Musically, the song maintains a polished alternative rock foundation, though one might argue it doesn’t stray far from Kodaline’s established sonic comfort zone.

The bridge, where the narrator questions the sincerity of the entire relationship, (“Was it all built on lies?”) underscores the emotional muscle of the songwriting—but also leans into themes so familiar they risk predictability.

As part of a discography that includes their debut “In A Perfect World,” which boosted the band’s profile post their rebranding from 21 Demands, “Honest” feels like a neatly constructed, if safe, addition.

Kodaline’s backstory, from their “You’re A Star” runner-up status in 2006 to their evolution as an Irish quartet—featuring Garrigan, Mark Prendergast, Vincent May, and Jason Boland—certainly adds context to their approach, though here it feels slightly formulaic.

Ultimately, while “Honest” sheds light on the necessity of clarity in relationships, its familiarity teeters on the edge of redundancy, delivering a sentiment that is heartfelt but perhaps too meticulously tailored to avoid unsettling the edges.

Featured on the 2015 album “Coming Up for Air”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Official Site

11 . Saygrace – You Don’t Own Me (w/ G-Eazy)

Saygrace’s “You Don’t Own Me,” featuring G-Eazy, stands as both homage and reinvention, tethered to the enduring legacy of Lesley Gore’s 1963 feminist anthem while lacing it with contemporary energy.

Quincy Jones, who produced the original, returns to produce this iteration alongside Parker Ighile, adding weight to the song’s historical resonance. Jones’s presence ensures that the track retains a sense of its roots while venturing into modern sonic territory.

Saygrace delivers the verses with a deliberate coolness, her tone equal parts defiance and nonchalance. Her delivery captures the timeless essence of individuality that Gore’s version championed, but the added edge feels crafted more for playlists than protests. The inclusion of G-Eazy, with his halfway brooding, halfway smug rap interlude, adds a layer that some may find jarring, as if the song’s rebellious self-possession needed male validation to broaden its appeal.

Commercially, the strategy worked; the song topped the ARIA Charts in Australia, went 3× platinum, and secured top-five positions in New Zealand and the UK. Despite this success, the duet arrangement feels more calculated than organic, its sleekness bordering on sterilization of the original’s raw defiance.

The track’s modern ubiquity—popping up in “Riverdale,” *The X Factor,* and *Suicide Squad*—positions it as a pop-cultural chameleon, adapting itself to contexts less revolutionary than Gore’s era demanded. Even the music video, directed by Taylor Cohen, opts for aesthetic gloss over substance, a visual metaphor for the song’s polished veneer.

With its feminist overtones preserved, albeit diluted, Saygrace’s “You Don’t Own Me” is a well-executed pop vehicle but lacks the uncompromising vitality that made its predecessor culturally seismic.

Featured on the 2016 album “FMA”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Instagram

12 . John Newman – Love Me Again

“Love Me Again,” the lead single from John Newman’s debut album “Tribute,” released in 2013, positions itself as a potent slice of modern soul-pop with enough grit to sidestep banality.

Written by Newman alongside Steve Booker and produced by Booker and Mike Spencer, the track achieves the slick balance of vintage vibes paired with contemporary production polish. Its global chart presence—number one in the UK and top 10 in countries like Australia, Germany, and New Zealand—speaks to its broad appeal, though the song arguably owes some of its staying power to its placement in pop culture touchstones like *FIFA 14* and *Tosh.0.*

Vocally, Newman leans heavily into his raspy, expressive delivery, which at times feels almost too tailored to the genre’s emotional pyrotechnics, leaving little room for subtlety. The production, while solid, follows a familiar formula: punchy piano chords, swelling string arrangements, and a hook designed to stick—calculated yet undeniably effective.

The accompanying music video adds a narrative layer, depicting a love story that’s notable less for its content than for its visual alignment with the song’s dramatic flair. Whether or not this reflects the singer’s own experiences feels deliberately ambiguous, perhaps to keep the focus on the universality of heartbreak.

“Love Me Again” garnered nominations for prestigious awards like the 2014 Brit Award for British Single of the Year and the Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically, reinforcing its stature as more than just an earworm. Its multi-Platinum certifications in the UK, Australia, and the US confirm its commercial success, though some might question whether the song leans too heavily on polished calculation over genuine risk-taking.

Still, for a debut lead single, it’s a competent statement of intent. Newman’s later collaborations with Rudimental, Calvin Harris, and Sigala demonstrate his knack for creating chart-topping moments, even if “Love Me Again” invites the smallest suspicion that its commercial triumph might outshine its artistic reach.

Featured on the 2013 album “Tribute”.

Lyrics >> More by the same : Instagram