“Me!” by Taylor Swift featuring Brendon Urie and “Me!” by Niki and Gabi Demartino share a
similar visual and lyrical theme; however, Niki and Gabi’s version appeals to a much younger
audience by including children and teens as background dancers, as well as including internet
slang in their lyrics.
Taylor Swift and Brendon Urie’s music video for their hit song, “Me!”, begins with Taylor and
Brendon arguing in French in the study of what seems to be a castle. From this we can assume
that Taylor and Brendon are lovers in a quarrel. Following the argument, Taylor walks out of the
castle and into the streets to meet background dancers as she is watched by Brendon from the
window. She sings “when it comes to a lover, I promise that you’ll never find another like me.”
From this we can assume that Taylor and Brendon are on the verge of a breakup. They follow
each other around in the video, repeating the reasons that make them each unique. Brendon
resolves their argument by gifting Taylor a cat.
Niki and Gabi Demartino’s parody music video of “Me!” takes place in a very large, fancy
home. The home is filled with background dancers dressed in pink and blue suits. The pink suits
dance with Gabi while the blue suits dance with Niki. Similar to the original video, the remake
begins with Niki and Gabi arguing in gibberish, intended to sound French. The twins are seen
arguing over their opposing schedules and say that filming together was much easier in the
beginning of their career. Gabi is the first to leave the room, yelling, “Fine, then! We’re done!”
When she closes the door behind her, she sings, “I promise that you’ll never find another like
me.” The music video tells the story of two sisters in a field of work that inevitably leads them being compared to each other as well as their individual celebrity lookalikes. However, when
push comes to shove, Niki and Gabi are sisters who love each other no matter how different
they are.
In the original music video, Taylor and Brendon are claiming that they are both one of a kind.
Taylor says there are a lot of “cool chicks out there” but she is the only Taylor Swift. Brendon
says, “there’s a lot of lame guys out there,” implying that he is not one of them.
In the parody music video, Niki and Gabi claim that they are also one of a kind but they
complete each other. Niki says “I’m the Niki to the Gabi” and together they sing, “I promise that
you’ll never find another Niki and Gabi.”
Taylor says that trouble will follow her everywhere and that she doesn’t think before she
jumps, but that is what makes her herself. Brendon says he tends to make thinks about himself
but that he will never be a bore, and this is what makes him himself. While the video does not
provide evidence to support Brendon’s claims, it does provide evidence to support Taylor’s
claims. After removing herself from the argument with Brendon, she gives the audience
anecdotal evidence. She says, “I know that I went psycho on the phone, I never leave well
enough alone, and trouble’s gonna follow where I go.”
Gabi explains that she has had plastic surgery, publicly spends copious amounts of money on
materialistic items and is constantly compared to Ariana Grande, but that she is “the only one of
me [Gabi].” Niki explains that she tends to be a control freak, never stops talking, and is
oftentimes compared to Billie Eilish. While dancing with their background dancers, Niki and Gabi
give us anecdotal evidence to support their claims. Niki says “I’m the only one of me, not
another Billie,” and Gabi says, “I’m the only one of me, not another Ari.”
The original music video uses pathos rhetoric by showing cats and an engagement ring. The
parody music video also uses pathos rhetoric by including cats in the video and the sisters
come together in the end, dancing and hanging out in a bedroom.
Taylor and Brenden had a different target audience than Niki and Gabi. Taylor and Brenden’s
audience for this video are Taylor and Brendon’s ex lovers and the media. The intended
audience for the parody video are people who compare Niki and Gabi Demartino to each other
in negative ways and their young, impressionable teen fan base.
These two videos are making similar claims but directing it towards different audiences.
Despite this difference, their message is clear: “You will never find another like me.”
Works Cited:
“Me!” by Taylor Swift (Featuring Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco), April 26, 2019,
https://youtu.be/FuXNumBwDOM
“Me!” Remake Music Video Parody by Niki and Gabi, May 29, 2019, https://youtu.be/G5qOHdvq0dU
