Visual motifs are images or symbols that are repeated several times throughout a visual work. They include anything from shapes and colors to phrases, and can be very effective in aiding an argument. In the music video “Tru”, Lloyd is pictured in several scenes, each with its own unique color scheme, to demonstrate his struggle for happiness in the past five years. Each color scheme has its own representation of his emotions after his musical hiatus. Although the motifs are very subtle, they are an effective way to represent the change in his circumstances and his desire to stay true to himself and his happiness. Each scene is made up of its own setting combined with a different visual motif.

In the first scene the audience comes across Lloyd standing underneath a massive steel bridge. There are few things surrounding him besides a couple of trees in the middle ground. The blur of a large city can be seen in the far distance. The camera focuses on Lloyd who is clad in all white from his baseball cap to his sneakers. His all white attire is the first visual motif that is used in the video. “White can represent a successful beginning. In Heraldry, white depicts faith and purity” (“Color Wheel Pro”). The camera shifts to another image of Lloyd, this time completely covered in black. “Black is associated with power, elegance, formality, death, evil, and mystery” (“Color Wheel Pro”). In this part of the scene Lloyd is seen walking up and down various pathways and tunnels. Again, the shot focuses on him as he continues to walk toward the camera. The tunnels are dark making it hard to see him for a brief moment before he comes back into the sunlight. “In heraldry, black is the symbol of grief” (“Color Wheel Pro”). The black suit motif is not as prominent as the white suit in the video.

The second scene the reader come across is of Lloyd in an alleyway in between two houses. He’s sitting in an old vehicle filing through a stack of paperwork before he grows frustrated and throws the documents into the air. He exits the vehicle and stands behind his car facing the camera. In his hands, he holds what appears to be a circular object. The whole scene is shot through a grainy lens giving it an early 90’s television quality. He’s nude from the waist up and as he stares into the camera a cloud of bright yellow smoke erupts out of his hands and surrounds him. “Yellow produces a warming effect, arouses cheerfulness, stimulates mental activity, and generates muscle energy” (“Color Wheel Pro”). The color yellow is also used sparsely throughout the rest of the video. A young girl, who is assumed to be his niece, runs around with a yellow bow in her hair as she smiles and laughs with Lloyd. “Light yellow is associated with intellect, freshness, and joy” (“Color Wheel Pro”). He then falls to his knees and the camera shifts to another angle. 

In the first few versus of the video Lloyd tells his fans that he’s been going through a struggle including switching “teams”, several lawsuits, and the loss of his child. The first scene uses the colors white and black as a visual motif to symbolize the life and death of his musical career as well as the struggle he’s been through and the faith he has in his future. Lloyd used the black attire at the very beginning of the video to symbolize the downfall of his career back in 2011. As he goes on to describe his struggles the camera goes from the black suit to the white. The white suit motif is used to symbolize his new beginning and the changes he’s made in order to stay true to himself. 

As the song goes on and the scene changes Lloyd begins to talk about some of the heavier obstacles he’s been going through. He says, “So many losses that my lawyer said don't talk about it, just had to breathe, keep it cool til I can walk up out it, came home helped my sister raise a child, Kinda hurt me cause I could of had my own now, lost my baby damn it's really hitting home now” (“LLOYD LYRICS”). This is the scene where he’s pictured in an alley way surrounded by yellow smoke. The distorted filter of this scene as well as the old-school television vibe could represent the past few years and how he went back to his old style of music instead of succumbing to the pressure that the music industry put on him to change. The yellow smoke motif is used to symbolize the joy he has knowing that even though it has been a long road he’s overcome his obstacles and losses while staying true to himself. 

Although these motifs are very subtle they get even more indistinct. The last motif seen in the video does not have its own original scene. For a brief moment at the end of the video the camera shifts to an image of Lloyd, again in his all white attire, with his head in his hands. Instead of the earthy suburban background you see nothing but a faint orange smoke that surrounds him. “In heraldry, orange is symbolic of strength and endurance” (“Color Wheel pro”). The camera shifts through all four scenes once more before the screen turns completely orange and the video ends. “Orange represents enthusiasm, fascination, happiness, creativity, determination, attraction, success, encouragement, and stimulation” (“Color Wheel Pro”). Lloyd used the color orange at the very end to symbolize the endurance he has to be successful and happy without losing himself in the pressure of being a musical artist in today’s society.

The music video “Tru” is a testimony of Lloyd’s financial, emotional, and physical struggles that he has come across in the last few years. Using visual motifs Lloyd is able to showcase his struggles as well as his success and emotions from the last few years and even today. Using subtle and almost indistinct color contrasts Lloyd symbolized the life and death of his career as well as the faith he has in his future. Lloyd was also able to symbolize the joy he has in knowing who he is now and the strength and endurance he has to stay true to himself on his journey in life.  
