A pound of flesh from Paloma Faith

Laid over an upbeat pop track, Monster is a brutal homage to both the horror genre and those it victimizes.

Director Yousef takes images and themes from cult-follower favorites like Mandy, Suspira, and Inferno, cutting in a Frankenstein creation plot over Paloma Faith’s arcing vocals. In the darkness of a lab, Faith is created, but at what cost? As the main Doctor continues to cut up and dissect women, they eventually form the titualar Monster that comes after him.

With bright, shifting, dramatic lighting and a strong social message, the video makes space for women to observe their own experiences on screen. The metaphor echoes throughout the piece, leaving room for interpretation and understanding. Yousef, who is represented by PRETTYBIRD, comments, “The doctor represents society in general, showing how women are silenced, manipulated physically and mentally and then cast aside like they're nothing...it shows how artists are churned out, disrespected and disregarded.”