The world of cinema often serves as a canvas for filmmakers to weave deeper meanings into stories that appear simple on the surface. Hidden beneath character arcs and narrative twists, symbolism becomes a critical tool in conveying messages that resonate with audiences long after the final credits roll. Nisha Ganatra’s The High Note, starring Dakota Johnson and Tracee Ellis Ross, is one such film. On the surface, it may seem like a breezy exploration of the music industry, a feel-good tale of an aspiring music producer and a legendary singer navigating their respective challenges. But peel back the layers, and The High Note is a symbolic exploration of identity, ambition, legacy, and the dichotomy between creativity and commerce.
The movie doesn’t just tell the story of Maggie (Dakota Johnson), a personal assistant dreaming of becoming a music producer, or Grace Davis (Tracee Ellis Ross), a fading music icon grappling with the twilight of her career. Instead, it uses their journeys to comment on much larger themes—themes that resonate far beyond the world of music. Through its characters and setting, The High Note becomes a microcosm of the struggles inherent in the pursuit of success, the cost of artistic integrity, and the complex relationship between legacy and reinvention.
Music as a Symbol of Identity and Expression
In The High Note, music is not merely the backdrop of the characters’ lives—it’s the very essence of their identities. For both Maggie and Grace, music serves as more than a profession; it becomes a mirror reflecting their personal aspirations, fears, and dreams.
Maggie, who works tirelessly as an assistant to Grace, uses her passion for music as a way to define her sense of self. Beneath her pragmatic, assistant façade is a deeply creative spirit, yearning to break free from the limitations imposed by her job title. Her dream of becoming a music producer isn’t just about professional success—it’s symbolic of her quest for independence and self-actualization. Every time she listens to music, arranges a setlist, or offers Grace suggestions, she’s asserting her sense of belonging in an industry that constantly tells her she’s not enough.
Grace Davis, on the other hand, is already established. She’s an icon, a diva, a woman whose name is synonymous with success. Yet, despite her achievements, Grace’s relationship with music is fraught with tension. It symbolizes both her power and her fear. For Grace, music has become a double-edged sword—it is her legacy, but also the source of her greatest insecurity. At the height of her career, she was revered for her innovation and boldness, but now, as she approaches the latter part of her career, music represents a battleground for relevance. The tension between staying true to her creative instincts and appeasing the commercial demands of her record label embodies the inner struggle she faces: should she stick to the familiar or take a risk and redefine her artistry?
This conflict is deeply symbolic of the broader struggle that many artists face—balancing personal expression with the pressures of an industry that commodifies creativity. For Maggie and Grace alike, music becomes the symbol of identity, representing their struggles to be seen, heard, and respected in an industry that often values profit over authenticity.
The Record Label Conflict: A Symbol of Creative Struggles
The conflict between Grace and her record label is perhaps the most explicit metaphor for the tension between art and commerce. The label’s push for Grace to release a “Greatest Hits” album instead of new material symbolizes the music industry’s preference for safe, profitable ventures over risky, creative endeavors. This isn’t just about music—it’s about the broader societal tendency to prioritize what’s known and comfortable over the unknown and potentially revolutionary.
For Grace, the idea of a “Greatest Hits” album is insulting. It’s a reminder that the industry sees her as a product, a brand, rather than an artist with something new to say. The label’s resistance to her desire to release fresh music highlights the industry’s reluctance to embrace change and risk. It reflects a fundamental truth about the entertainment world—whether it’s music, film, or any other form of art, the tension between commercial viability and artistic integrity is ever-present.
This conflict also mirrors Grace’s internal struggle with aging. The label’s insistence on capitalizing on her past successes suggests that they no longer believe she can produce anything of value in the present. It’s a symbolic reminder of how society often sidelines women as they age, particularly in industries obsessed with youth and novelty. Grace’s determination to defy the label’s expectations and release new music becomes a powerful statement about fighting for one’s voice and relevance in a world that constantly seeks to silence it.
Los Angeles: A Metaphor for Dreams and Reality
Few cities are as symbolic of the highs and lows of ambition as Los Angeles. In The High Note, LA serves as more than just a setting—it is a metaphor for the clash between dreams and reality. For Maggie, LA is a city of opportunity, a place where she believes her dreams of becoming a music producer can come true. She’s drawn to the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry, seeing it as the ultimate stage for her talents.
But as the film progresses, LA’s duality becomes more apparent. It’s not just a city of dreams—it’s a place where many dreams are crushed. For every success story like Grace Davis, there are countless others like Maggie who struggle to break through. LA represents the harsh reality of the entertainment industry, where ambition doesn’t always translate into success and where even the most talented individuals must fight against the odds.
For Grace, LA is a reminder of both her success and the pressure that comes with it. It’s the city that made her a star, but it’s also the city that’s constantly reminding her of her fading relevance. The bright lights and glamorous parties mask a deeper insecurity—an insecurity rooted in the fear that her best days are behind her. In this way, LA becomes a symbol of the tension between aspiration and reality, success and failure, hope and disillusionment.
Grace’s Wardrobe: A Symbol of Public Image vs. Personal Freedom
Clothing has long been used in cinema as a means of communicating deeper messages about characters, and The High Note is no exception. Grace’s wardrobe throughout the film is a clear reflection of her public persona—a carefully curated image of extravagance, glamour, and stardom. But beneath the surface, her fashion choices also symbolize the tension between the image she must maintain and the personal freedom she craves.
Grace’s outfits are loud, bold, and designed to capture attention. They reflect the persona she’s built over decades, a persona that has made her a star. But as the film progresses, it becomes clear that these clothes are also a kind of armor—an outward expression of confidence that masks her internal insecurities. She’s spent so long cultivating this image that she’s become trapped by it. Her wardrobe, then, becomes a symbol of the divide between public image and personal freedom. Just as she’s reluctant to release new music that deviates from her established sound, she’s also hesitant to shed the persona that has defined her career.
This tension is a broader reflection of celebrity culture, where stars are often expected to maintain a particular image for the sake of their brand. Grace’s struggle to break free from these expectations is symbolic of the desire for authenticity in a world that constantly demands performance.
The Journey of Mentorship: Symbolizing Growth and Legacy
At the heart of The High Note is the mentor-mentee relationship between Grace and Maggie. This dynamic is symbolic of the passing of the torch, the process by which one generation imparts its wisdom and experience to the next. But it’s not without its complications.
Grace, despite her success, is reluctant to fully embrace the role of mentor. She’s still grappling with her own fears and insecurities, which makes her hesitant to guide Maggie in the way Maggie hopes. Grace’s reluctance to release new music is mirrored in her reluctance to mentor Maggie—both are rooted in a fear of irrelevance, a fear that by passing the torch, she’s admitting her time in the spotlight is over.
Maggie’s journey, on the other hand, is one of self-discovery and perseverance. As she navigates the complexities of the music industry, she learns that success isn’t just about talent—it’s about resilience, timing, and the ability to carve out a unique space in a crowded field. Her journey from assistant to producer is symbolic of the broader idea that the next generation must learn from the past but also forge its own path.
Conclusion: The High Note as a Symbolic Exploration of Art, Ambition, and Legacy
Nisha Ganatra’s The High Note is more than just a feel-good film about the music industry. It’s a rich exploration of the symbolic struggles faced by artists and dreamers alike. Through its characters, setting, and narrative, the movie delves into the complex relationship between identity, ambition, and legacy. Music becomes a symbol of personal expression and self-worth, while the record label conflict serves as a metaphor for the tension between artistic integrity and commercial success. Los Angeles, with its shimmering promise of stardom, represents both the allure and the disillusionment of ambition. And Grace’s wardrobe, as well as her relationship with Maggie, underscores the broader themes of image, freedom, and the passing of the torch.
In the end, The High Note resonates because it speaks to the universal desire for self-expression and the challenges that come with staying true to one’s voice in a world that often values profit over passion. It’s a film about the journey to find one’s place in a demanding industry, but it’s also a story about the courage it takes to maintain authenticity in the face of constant pressure to conform.
