Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Beyoncé accused of 'cultural appropriation' in Coldplay 'Hymn for the Weekend' music video

The singer's role in the video as a Bollywood actress has led some to question her use of traditional Desi adornment. 

Clarisse Loughrey
Saturday 30 January 2016 11:01 GMT
Comments
Beyoncé appearing in the music video for Coldplay's Hymn for the Weekend
Beyoncé appearing in the music video for Coldplay's Hymn for the Weekend

Your support helps us to tell the story

This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.

The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.

Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.

Beyoncé has received criticism for her role in Coldplay's new music video for 'Hymn For the Weekend', the second single from the band's new album A Head Full of Dreams, with some questioning as to whether her appearance constitutes cultural appropriation.

The video, directed by Ben Mor, sees the artist dressed in traditional Desi adornment while playing the role of a Bollywood actress, as Coldplay's frontman Chris Martin attends a local cinema to watch her latest production.

Cultural appropriation, particularly of Desi traditions, has become an increasingly frequent topic of conversation of late; several artists in the past have been accused of such, including Iggy Azalea for her video 'Bounce' and Selena Gomez for 'Come and Get It'.

The video's mixed reception on social media has sparked an intense conversation on the constitutional difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation; with some labelling Beyoncé's guise as the former due to her performative use of cultural elements as a kind of costume. Others have questioned how the role of power structures plays into the definition.

The video does also briefly feature Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor, with some critics questioning as to why Kapoor could not have been enlisted for Beyoncé's role instead.

Elswhere, the video looks to positively capture celebrational aspects of the city's culture, specifically India's Holi festival. Otherwise known as 'The Festival of Colours', it involves playfully chasing and splashing fellow particpants in colourful dry powders and water, as part of a celebration of love and the forgiveness of others. However, some pointed out the video's depiction of the festival is stereotypical in itself, specifically in its overuse in depictions of the country.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in