It was always going to happen. As much as I didn't want it to, as much as I told myself that this song would never end up on my iPod - it has. And you know why? Because the video for Cher Lloyd's debut single
Swagger Jagger is a bit brilliant.
The thing is, this looks like the video for a Number One single. If I was managing Cher, this is the kind of video I would have made. it's colourful, it's young, it's trendy. It suits her.
The bouncy, bright graphics are great - and the lyrics popping up like comic-book captions are a nice touch too.
Most obviously though, Cher looks amazing. Like properly gorgeous. Her hair is all 'did', and she bears quite possibly her most striking resemblance to her X Factor mentor Cheryl to date.
The final studio version of the track has some rather subtle tweaks to it too - nothing major but enough to iron out some of the most irritating bits of the demo version that leaked first.
Yup, there's the most shameless product placement ever (ok, maybe not as shameless as the Mercedes placement in the new Transformers movie) - but really, do you need to have one of those glossy shots of Cher operating her mobile phone not just once, but twice?!
At times the video does feel a little Party At The Underage Disco! (Free bottle of WKD with entry!), but on the whole I really, really like it. Like the best videos, it's managed to make me not only tolerate the track, but like it. Perhaps in time I'll even love it.
Swagger Jagger is released on the 1st August and is available to
download from iTunes here. The digital package includes remixes by HyGrade, the Wideboys, Dillon Francis and Eyes.
