What the hell is this? “So Divine” is a great dance track, an ode to the feeling of love. It demands a video with colour and spark and movement. Instead it gets this weird 1960s Barbarella thing. Actually, it’s more like someone throwing a Barbarella-themed fancy-dress party on an extreme budget, and buying up all the silver metallic fabrics at Spotlight.
So there’s Ngaire in a decently shaped but cheap looking silver dress made from that faux sequin fabric, and she’s rolling around on some silver metallic fabric, at one point cuddling up to a cushion that looks like a bladder from cask wine (and perhaps it is, because that would actually explain a few things).
But the best bit is the others in the video. Ngaire is joined by two men who appear to be eating her ears. Perhaps they are a two-headed alien and that is how they greet friends on their planet.
Ngaire also has three gal pals who have also been shopping at Spotlight. They’re decked out from head to toe in metallic silver. At one point Ngaire hangs from a swing and her spacettes huddle around her. Again, I think this is an alien custom.
It’s the fruitiest video, but you know what? Ngaire is a trouper. Despite the ridiculous set-up, she sings the song with the joy it requires and looks like she knows she’s wearing a sticky plastic dress but she’s still having a good time. Also, after a while “so divine” starts to sounds like “soda vine”.
Best bit: Ngaire’s female posse flicking up their glitter-laiden hair, causing a glam glitter shower.
Next… Jan goes for a drive.
Ew. The ear eating bits make me feel a bit queasy.
There’s a transition in hair fashion happening in this video: flatter on top but still blown out at the sides in the case of Ngaire and her space-ladies. It’s interesting too (if one takes an interest in such things) to see straight hair in a wind-machine in the era before GHDs.
One does take an interest in such things (but I think you knew that!). Ngaire’s hair is naturally really curly, so I guess this video represents the best straightening could be done. I’m going to guess it was an intense blow-dry, and probably the sort that would frizz out in rain or even just a humid day. I’ve found a current photo of Ngaire (she’s now a production manager at TVNZ), and not only does she look even cooler now, but her hair is even straighter. I bet she has some GHDs at home.
There’s a definite hair salon vibe here. I think the spacettes have been outfitted from the highlights tray. And I’m thinking: soda vine! I’d love a soda vine in the garden!