The Artist Explains: Alexander Vincent - 'Free Myself'
LA/ Toronto-based songwriter and producer Alexander Vincent speaks to us about the concept behind his fascinating abstract art visuals for, ‘Free Myself’.
In very little words, Alexander Vincent offers a visceral experience without lacking intellect on his new offering, ‘Free Myself’. ‘Free Myself’ is a slow burning electronic track that builds to a thunderous, liberating crescendo, which feels therapeutic in spite of its dark, warped textures.
Alexander Vincent Explains:
Where was the video for ‘Free Myself’ filmed?
It was filmed at Studios 60 in Los Angeles
How does the video connect with the song?
The video is directly related to the song. The director (Anders Rostad) and I came up with the concept of the video after many discussions about what "Free Myself" meant to us.
There aren't many lyrics in the song but we felt the production of the music and the simple lyric was an open canvas to create upon. We ended up with something that is our visual interpretation of the emotion of the song.
Are there any behind the scenes stories you can share with us?
Working with water in music videos is very challenging. There is a scene in the video where masked people emerge from the water. We shot this in a pool and a bunch of my friends were the actors. It was a major challenge to choreograph everything and also make sure everybody was safe.
Also, the scene where I am in the tub wasn't very fun because the water was FREEZING. A friend of mine was heating up water in a tea kettle and pouring it into the tub for me. That's what friends are for.
Could you tell us about the ideas/ themes/ imagery used?
We wanted to literally visualize freeing oneself. We used two concepts for this idea. The first was the female dancer, Shauna Davis. Who was wrapped in a cloth. Her powerful movement symbolised being trapped and the desperate need to get free. For this, we took an influence from Martha Graham's legendary modern dance "Lamentation".
The second concept was representing my own personal demons. Not only freeing myself from something external but also from myself and my own demons. The masked characters are meant to represent my own inner demons and insecurities.
What do you hope people take away from watching the video?
The beauty of abstract art is allowing the viewer to have their own interpretation. I have received a bunch of different messages from people. Some say it helped them with anxiety. The other said it caused them anxiety.
I wanted to make something that would be a profound experience and could be cathartic for the viewer. I ultimately hope people enjoy the video but most importantly, I hope they feel something.
Interview Feature by Karla Harris