Jurnal Bahasa, Sastra, dan Studi Amerika
Vol 31, No 2 (2025)

Visual Resistance and Subcultural Identity in t.A.T.u.’S Music Videos: All the Things She Said and Not Gonna Get Us

Stepanny Stepanny (Universitas Sebelas Maret)



Article Info

Publish Date
29 Dec 2025

Abstract

This article explores how subcultural resistance is represented in two of t.A.T.u.’s most iconic music videos, Not Gonna Get Us and All the Things She Said. Using a semiotic approach, the study analyzes visual codes, mise-en-scène, and lyrical structures to uncover how these elements express rebellion and emotional urgency within the socio-political context of early 2000s Russia. Visual cues such as fences, surveillance imagery, and enclosed spaces are recontextualized to symbolize control, escape, and resistance. The lyrics act as recurring affirmations of defiance, reinforcing a refusal to conform. The study highlights how movement, spatial dynamics, and contrasting aesthetics construct narratives of struggle against dominant ideologies, particularly around gender and identity. By foregrounding emotional intensity and intimate bonds, the videos create alternative meanings that challenge mainstream interpretations of love. This research reveals how popular media can subvert traditional norms through layered signs, offering space for dissent within familiar cultural formats.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

jbssa

Publisher

Subject

Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media

Description

Jurnal Bahasa, Sastra, dan Studi Amerika JBSSA is the editor review journal of language, literature, American Studies and translation which addresses various topics and issues on the area of language, literature, translation studies, tourism studies, and American Studies, including critical ...