Vanity
The screen shows a girl playing the piano and another playing a drum set. Their instruments are in the woods.
The camera does a close shot of the pianist’s fingers before showing two dancers, also in the woods.
The pianist begins to sing:
He asks what I’ve done sinfully
He asks who keeps me company
He asks about my selfish needs
He asks what’s gotten into me
And I tell him vanity I tell him vanity
My newfound vanity
From the depths of my lungs it’s all just vanity
The camera shows the dancers moving asynchronously.
The camera shows the singer and the drummers’ hands.
He asks why I’m the only one I see
He asks why I don’t feel lonely
The camera shows one dancer.
He asks if it’s him I need
He asks what is wrong with me
And I tell him vanity
The camera shows the dancers dancing synchronously.
I tell him vanity
My newfound vanity
From the depths of my lungs it’s all just vanity
It’s understanding confidence
And so he’s reprimanding what he doesn’t know
Beauty is a stranger and so he turns away
Am I so brilliant afraid of what I’ll say
So I’ll claim my vanity
My newfound vanity
From the depths of my lungs
Zach Milnamow and Elizabeth VanBuskirk produced this music video for the song “Vanity,” written and performed by local music duo GraceKellie.
Vanity is the feminine portrayal of strength and confidence being perceived through the male lens as vain, shallow and disingenuous, as she understands that the male characters in her life will never understand the complexities of her strength.