In the modern age, digital intertextuality has allowed much of the past to come back with increasing popularity. One such artist is Kate Bush, and her song “Running Up That Hill”. The song is a perfect screenshot of the mid-80s! Or at least that is what today’s teens think of when they hear it. Many were not even alive when it was first released!
The answer is digital intertextuality. It rose into stardom again with Netflix’s fourth season of Stranger Things. The song is used when character Max escapes death from the series’ antagonist Vecna, by listening to Bush, her favorite singer. Against the villain’s power, she focuses on the good in her life and can walk away from his evil.
Gaining Traction on TikTok
This song gained traction because it was clipped and used as audio on social media platforms, like TikTok. Some connected it directly to the show by captioning their videos with quotes from the characters. Others simply lip-sync to the audio. However, the audience of the video experienced the connection and understood exactly where the producer got the song from and the context behind it.
This is an example of how digital intertextuality exists. As a song, Bush’s creation has been recognized in today’s media, where simply playing a clip of the song connects the work to the show. People recognize the source, and the relationship is undeniably true. Information about the show can be easily found on the internet, while these videos about the song are found on TikTok. This form of intertextuality connects the works, becoming more fun and fluid. This is all to engage the modern audience. Without it, the evolution of language and culture would be more limited.
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