Rihanna‘s new “Diamonds” video opens with her raking her fingers through piles of the titular stones and ends with her adrift at sea. In between, there is no shortage of evocative imagery (glamorous black-and-white close-ups, thick plumes of translucent smoke, oversaturated hill-scapes, artfully silhouetted stallions), all of which make for a visually arresting experience — though those looking for some insight into the song’s meaning would probably be best served checking out one of the countless lyric videos circulating online.

….In a way, the “Diamonds” video showcases Rihanna’s continued growth as an artist. Unlike her Instagrams and album covers, when it came time to shoot the video, she decided to rely less on exposed skin and shock, opting instead to create something of genuine beauty. And sure, there are nods to the song’s pro-relationship sentiments (the arms of two supposed lovers interlocked, the image of two stallions standing side by side), but overall, this video plays more like a visual poem. And while it might not recall some of her more salacious clips, “Diamonds” definitely proves one old adage to be true: A picture is worth a thousand words.

[MTV]