Kelly Rowland - Lay It On Me ft. Big Sean

What this video is

Released in October 2011 as the second US single from Rowland's third studio album Here I Am (Universal Motown, July 2011), 'Lay It On Me' arrived in the wake of her critically praised 'Motivation' (ft. Lil Wayne), which had topped the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The video participates in a distinct early-2010s R&B trend of female artists explicitly centring their own desire and sexuality — a counterpoint to…

Why it matters

Represents a key moment in early-2010s R&B's Hi-NRG/contemporary crossover, with Hit-Boy production bridging the gap between radio pop and club R&B. The video's female-gaze inversion and choreography-centred visual language place it within an emerging tradition of Black female artist-led…

The director

Sarah Chatfield is an English director based in London and Los Angeles, represented by UK production company Outsider and US company Station Film. She transitioned from cinematography to directing in 2005, breaking through with the Lily Allen 'Alfie' video,…