As winter quarter reaches its conclusion, it is time to revisit the visuals that made the season dynamic.

A variety of female artists delivered unforgettable music videos for their singles, pulling from nostalgic television programs and original concepts to craft vibrant stories. With dramatic fashion and high-octane choreography, the winter was packed with videos that elevated their source material.

Keep reading for the Daily Bruin’s recap of some of the music videos that stood out this winter.

“DENIAL IS A RIVER” by Doechii

There is no denying Doechii’s visual artistry is just as sharp as her lyricism.

Released Jan. 2, Doechii’s “DENIAL IS A RIVER” music video packs nostalgia, celebrity cameos, cultural references and creative visuals into the nearly three-minute production that follows the release of her 2024 mixtape “Alligator Bites Never Heal.” Paying homage to classic ‘90s sitcoms including “Family Matters” and “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” Doechii stars as the main character of her own show, following the sequential storyline of her explosive career. The Grammy winner teased the video’s release with a series of sitcom-inspired skits, introducing the star-studded cast of cameos to the tune of the “Family Matters” theme song, “As Days Go By.”

The diverse celebrity cast includes musical icons Earl Sweatshirt, ScHoolboy Q and Baby Tate alongside actors Zack Fox and Rickey Thompson, all playing characters from Doechii’s personal life. Directed by Carlos Acosta and James Mackel, the video zooms out from its retro-inspired living room set to reveal a studio audience – seamlessly shifting from a grainy, sitcom aesthetic to a refined, contemporary cinematic style. Concluding with an explosion, the final frame leaves Doechii surrounded by the set’s wreckage, creating a haunting visual representation of her lyrical storyline.

Cementing her status as both a visual and sonic storyteller, Doechii is sailing toward continued acclaim.

– Ruwani Jayasekara

[Related: Grammys 2025: 67th ceremony awards Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar, encourages fire recovery in LA]

“Striptease” by FKA twigs

FKA twigs continues to embrace the weirdness in the best way.

“Striptease” is the ninth track from her long-awaited third studio album “EUSEXUA,” released Jan. 24. The single’s music video, released the same day, opens with FKA twigs running through a steely highway tunnel, apparently fleeing a pursuer as drivers whiz past. The echoes of cars and footsteps dissolve as her breathing slows and her face comes into focus, her expression transitioning from fear to defiance. As the music begins, FKA twigs sheds her coat before performing surreal, otherworldly choreography.

In about 5 1/2 minutes, the video delivers a cinematic journey of transformation and transcendence. FKA twigs tears her crimson red dress into strips that ripple behind her, reflecting the song’s lyrics, “I’m stripping apart, till my pain disappears.” She then ascends, her mirrored face surrounded by a tangle of indistinguishable limbs – indicating her transcendence of the physical form. A child stares at her suspended figure in awe as FKA twigs’ face momentarily morphs into the child’s, symbolizing her reclamation of her inner child. FKA twigs reemerges in a fierce runway ensemble, striding confidently as the car headlights convert into flashing cameras – and her transformation is complete.

As viewers get lost in her striptease, FKA twigs finds herself, shedding layers to create something new.

– Jade Wang-O’Shea

“Abracadabra” by Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga is casting a spell once again, captivating audiences through another formidable performance.

With a hypnotic dance rhythm and mesmerizing choreography, Gaga unleashed the music video for “Abracadabra” on Feb. 2. The track is a single from her seventh studio album “MAYHEM,” which was released last week. The video presents Gaga in juxtaposed positions, with one persona standing strong in an ethereal white ensemble while the other is dressed in red as the “Mistress of Mayhem.” The two personas battle each other throughout the high-energy clip, which is choreographically rich and dynamic with a collective of dancers.

The track’s lyricism illustrates the competition between death and love on the dance floor, with the phrase “Abracadabra” corresponding to something magical. This concept also emerges in the visually striking costumes featured in the video, which were constructed from upcycled materials. Gaga said the videography encapsulates the “club of my soul,” as her personas are continuously confronted with mayhem and optimism. As the battle between the two versions of herself subsides, an angelic Gaga lets out a scream at the Mistress. With this, the video concludes as the “lady in red” tilts her head down, arguably symbolizing defeat.

With a few tricks up her sleeve, Gaga embodies the magic of “Abracadabra” through her spellbinding lyrics, choreography, and visual performance.

– Jillian Baker

[Related: Album Review: Lady Gaga’s ‘MAYHEM’ brings the magic with danceable tunes, quirky lyrics]

“Best Guess” by Lucy Dacus

Lucy Dacus proves she is a gambling man in her latest music video.

Dacus released the visual for her single “Best Guess” on Feb. 10. The song is set to be the tenth track on Dacus’ upcoming album, “Forever Is A Feeling.” Consistent with her previous music videos, Dacus opts out of elaborate costumes or set designs and instead focuses on the details and perspectives of the people within the video.

“Best Guess” employs frequent camera cuts to more than a dozen cast members in suits showing off their best dance moves or staring through the camera and into the viewer’s eyes, employing a visually contrasting black-and-white color palette. Towa Bird, Cara Delevingne and Naomi McPherson also appear in the video as celebrity features. The song describes Dacus’ vulnerability about falling in love, as she visualizes taking a gamble on her future for someone and hoping it is right. The video includes a scene where Bird wins a game of darts and the cast hoists her triumphantly into the air before breaking out into a group line dance with Dacus confidently in the lead.

Dacus’ vision requires no guessing as she lets her artistry shine through and her gambling skills stand out.

– Gabrielle Gillette

“Still Bad” by Lizzo

Lizzo returned this winter to begin a new era.

The four-time Grammy winner released her single “Still Bad” on Thursday. The track’s funky disco elements are immediately reminiscent of her Grammy-winning chart-topper “About Damn Time” and are delivered alongside playful lyrics such as, “I don’t need him, I need a drink / Let’s turn this pain into some champagne, baby.” The song follows “Love in Real Life,” which was officially released Feb. 28 as the lead single and title track of her next album, and “Still Bad” even begins as a direct sequel to its predecessor’s video by opening with Lizzo splayed out on the hood of a car.

The video quickly transitions as Lizzo wakes up, smokes a cigarette and is doused in red liquid by a pedestrian, shifting to a scene where she stands in a forest dressed in a red latex ensemble while the car burns behind her. As the forest darkens, Lizzo is joined by a troupe of dancers clad in silver and wearing beaks while delivering an energetic synchronized routine. The choreography continues as snowflakes fall and Lizzo appears in a pool of water, smiling at the camera as she sings.

Lizzo may proclaim that she is still bad, but her latest visual suggests her musical output will continue to be good.

– Reid Sperisen