They just don’t make videos like they used to. In the mediums 1990s and early 2000s heyday, videos were events full of dance routines, eye-popping digital effects, luxe outfits and starry cameos that worked to capture the public imagination. Now, visuals are increasingly small, minimal affairs involving soundstages and a few camera angles. But occasionally we’ll get someone who wants to throwback to the visuals of yesteryear. Kehlani is doing just that with the music video for “Out The Window.”
The clip captures its fair share of music video tropes from the time, which is fitting given the song’s throwback to the ’90s-era begging slow jam. The clip begins with the singer calling their estranged boo on a pay phone (remember those?) while rocking a tomboy look and shades that would make Aaliyah proud. We’re then taken through the receiver into a futuristic look that feels like it was conceived circa 1999. It’s there that we get Kehlani dancing in several looks and set pieces.
While the multitalented artist being quite the dancer is nothing new, Kehlani makes sure we know that they’ve got the moves with intense routines that hit every beat of the song. And just when you thought the references to videos of the past are done, the rain begins to pour and we see Kehlani and the dancers test out their moves in the downpour.
The millennial maximalism is on full display in the clip and it’s giving us all the feels we didn’t know we missed. Did “Out The Window” necessarily need such a treatment? Not really. But are we glad that Kehlani gave it to us anyway? Absolutely!
Watch Kehlani give the people what they want when you watch the video below.
