As Addison Rae’s ascent into the upper echelons of “it girl” status in music continues (thanks in part to Charli XCX, with Rae now also Grammy-nominated via a remix of “von dutch”), it only makes sense that Arca should enter into the mix. Or rather, the remix…of “Aquamarine,” now dubbed “Arcamarine.” And while it is only Arca’s production (not vocals) that reinvents the song, all it takes is her keen musical ear to rework the single into something that’s even more “sexed up” than before.
To honor that heightened “in heat” sense, Rae paid homage to the collaboration with yet another music video for the single. Swapping out the city-oriented seduction of Paris for a more tropical milieu (at times, it looks like Hawaii, and others perhaps somewhere in Arca’s own native South America), Rae goes all-out feral. And, in lieu of reteaming with her “Diet Pepsi” director, Sean Price Williams, Rae opted to go “a little more personal” by having her best friend and fellow dancing queen, Lexee Smith, direct the visuals. Having appeared in the music videos of other “greats” (namely, FKA Twigs’ “holy terrain” and Billie Eilish’s “Lost Cause”), Smith must have been a quick study on the finer points of direction. Either that, or her closeness with Rae is what makes the video so captivating. For the resulting final product of “Arcamarine” is one that Rae rightly sums up as follows: “This song/video is profoundly special to me in more ways than one. There is something deeply moving and soul baring about seeing yourself through the lens of your best friend. Lexee, you already know how I feel about you and your unmatched eye for the hidden secrets of life. A true artist who knows no limits. You inspire me daily.” And inspired her, apparently, to really start feelin’ herself in the video. In a manner perhaps not seen since Madonna. That is to say, Rae is not “doing sexy” for anyone but herself.
In the same way that Madonna’s “Lucky Star” video revolutionized the notion that a woman could be confidently sexy for the sake of how it makes her feel, not anyone else, “Arcamarine” bears that similar quality. And Rae deliberately channeling Madonna is something that tracks, considering her previous moments of “emulation” (e.g., posing with Minnie Mouse ears à la Madonna during a 1987 photoshoot by Herb Ritts). And then there was Rae’s recent posting to her Instagram story an image of Madonna flexing her muscles circa 1990 (while she was on the Blond Ambition Tour). Her chiseled jawline and arms on full display, this is Madonna at one of her most empowered and sexy moments. Rae has taken heed for “Arcamarine,” which opens on a flash of different images, all featuring Rae against a tropical, often palm tree-bedecked backdrop.
The moody, up-tempo rhythm of Arca’s contributing beat (very reggaetón-esque) lends an undercutting freneticism to the new version. And yes, its sweltering danceability also bears a connection to early 80s Madonna. Because, as Arca herself has said, “I don’t know if I can overstate how major Madonna’s music and persona were in my household.” And now, Arca’s own “major” music and persona is all over “Aquamarine,” with Rae also thanking her (in addition to Smith) by saying, “Thank you again, Arca, for being an essential part of an electrically special moment in time. I admire you and your ability to challenge and inspire the world fearlessly. I feel sexy and free when I listen to this. You create magic.”
And that Arca does as viewers watch Rae embody that sexiness and freedom she mentions feeling while dancing/writhing around in the back of a pickup truck (Lana Del Rey would never—she’s more of a sitter). At moments, the specific scenery of the video (particularly as Rae rides past the landscape in the truck) recalls Katy Perry’s “Harleys in Hawaii.” But, of course, Perry being the queen of heteronormativity, the comparison stops there, with Perry’s video pandering to the idea of coupledom and being/feeling sexy because of a man. Rae, instead, oozes sex not to please anyone else, but rather, to luxuriate in herself.
Smith’s gaze might occasionally border on the traditional male one, but it is ultimately the gaze of a female friend who can see no flaws in her bestie that triumphs. Additionally, the trippy sonic aura of the track is played up visually by Smith during certain moments. Like when she blurs the camera lens as Rae walks in heels down the road—at a normal pace initially, but then speeds up…an effect that gives a sort of “ketamine experience” to the video (and yes, this remix is ideal for pairing with that particular drug).
In another scene shot in black and white on the beach (here, again, Rae channels Madonna by making a sort of “Cherish” video reference), Rae dons a white bathing suit and sailor hat as she stands serenely on the sand, another shot then showing her smoking a cigarette. And yes, because this is a very “mermaid-y” track (with 2006’s Aquamarine also being a clear influence), Rae has to be near an ocean at some point…especially since she wasn’t in the original video, favoring use of a bathtub for her body of water instead.
In some of the final scenes (these ones also in black and white) showing Rae frolicking in the water, Smith delivers a shot of her bestie wearing fishnets and lying on the sand. An instance that evokes her looking almost like a beached fish—or rather, a mermaid caught in a net. But with no man in sight to prey upon her/take advantage of her vulnerability, there isn’t a sinister air to this moment. Only an ironic sense of freedom despite her being “netted.” In fact, Rae being the only person in the video is what makes it come across in this liberated manner. For the truth of the matter is that solely when a girl is on her own can she truly delight in her sexuality. Take genuine pleasure in herself without fear of the dreaded male gaze/appraisal.
