Positive Masculinity-”Something About You” by Elderbrook and Rudimental

Recently, my wife turned me on to the music video for “Something About You” by Elderbrook and Rudimental. She just said she thought I’d like it. Neither of us were prepared for the tears that came when I watched it. “It’s just so beautiful and complex.” That’s all I could say. I watched the video another half-dozen times before realizing that the video didn’t affect her the same way it affected me because it is so clearly targeting toxic masculinity, and the struggles men have with being vulnerable in what I call “Western Male Culture.” Below, I have broken the song down. You can watch the video or not, but I describe the relevant aspects of the video throughout, and my interpretations and some reactions as well. This breakdown might be helpful if you don’t understand toxic masculinity, or if you just want a different perspective on an internationally-celebrated music video.

Open on a scene of anxious solitude. A man standing in a stairwell, obviously distressed. Men who have attended support groups of any kind can recognize the fear of being vulnerable in front…