Did Ariana Grande Just Rip Off This Aussie Band’s Video?

SAFIA experienced some déjà vu when American pop star Ariana Grande debuted her new music video for One Last Time earlier this week, because, well, it really seems like Grande and her team took a little too much inspiration from the Canberra trio’s You Are The One video.

SAFIA have taken to Facebook to voice their concerns, and rightly so; the two videos (below) have similar introductions, colour schemes, storylines and conclusions, making it difficult to believe their likeness is pure coincidence.

“This might just be coincidence but to us it looks like either the people at Ariana Grande’s label or the film maker have seen our clip for ‘You Are The One’ & reworked the concept a little bit and then straight up stolen and copied some bits…(ESPECIALLY THE END!),” SAFIA say.

“Wouldn’t be the first time uncreative talentless fucks from big labels and/or big film firms steal ideas from small independent creatives who are trying really hard to make something different for a change.”

Perhaps Safia should get in touch with Melbourne outfit Clubfeet, who experienced similar levels of international “flattery” around their Everything You Wanted clip. They called out Japanese band knocking off the clip in 2013. Turkish artist Soner Sarıkabadayı later had a crack, then One Direction decided it must have been safe to steal the idea for their You & I video.

Since posting their initial comments, SAFIA have also shared a picture (above) comparing the end scenes of both videos, accompanied by the brilliant caption, “YOU DON’T MESS WITH THE SAF! IT’S ONNNNN!”

Safia are heading to the US for SXSW 2015 next month, so they might have some time to make a pit-stop to Grande’s hood for a game of “What The Fuck Is Up?” Compare the Safia and Ariana Grande videos below.

UPDATE 17/02/15: Max Landis, the director of Ariana Grande’s One More Time video, has responded to copying accusations via Twitter, noting similarities but also stating that “tropes and themes are repeated constantly throughout fiction”.

Jimmy Ennett, the director of the SAFIA’s You Are The One video, has also noted the similarities, adding “the whole apocalypse thing is not an original idea by any stretch… But I think it’s more about the specific composition, that’s where it can get very sketchy”.

UPDATE 18/02/15: SAFIA have released a statement backing down from the video “scandal”. The group say they are “ready to move on”.

Watch: Ariana Grande – One Last Time

Watch: SAFIA – You Are The One

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