The Artist Explains: Riley Pearce - 'If I Knew'

Australian singer songwriter, Riley Pearce, spoke to us about his poignant new single and accompanying visuals for,  ‘If I Knew’, taken from his new EP ‘Eastbound’  due for release on August 3. 
 Sounding a lot like the love child of Bon Iver and The National, 'If I Knew' is a brooding, slow burner of a song that emotively builds in density and richness, leaving its listener fully affected. 

Official Music Video for 'If I Knew' by Riley Pearce.

Riley Pearce Explains:
Where was the video for 'If I Knew' filmed?
Well we actually organised that super last minute, Georgia (director) had done a heap of scouting for places, found 1 really good one that ended up being 200m from my house but the owners never got back to us and then we found one in Rockingham about an hour south of Perth and they were more than happy for us to use it.

How does the video connect with the song?
Well the song deals with the realisation that something you had previously you might not get back and that there might have been things you would’ve done differently had you had the time over. I love the fact that songs can mean different things to different people and everyone draws their own meaning. For me this song isn’t about a specific person but about the concept of time.

Any behind the scenes stories?
Haha, I wasn’t acting in the clip so felt like I was twiddling my thumbs a bit, I went and got some pizzas for the crew and ordered way too much so I ended up eating pizza for the next 3 dinners. 

Could you tell us about the ideas/ themes/ imagery used?
The laundromat at night is a typically reflective location and that fitted well with the song and its theme. Using items that just happened to be scattered around the laundromat linked in with being able to make use of what you have rather than dwelling on the past. Not using a second character helps convey that one sided conversation that happens when you reflect on the past. 

 

What is the message the video is trying to convey?
I don’t know whether there is a “going forward please think of this” or “be mindful of this” type message. I create songs and see certain visuals that I hope help people connect to the music because it’s something I’ve felt and I love helping other people feel something too. Reed Luplau’s dancing is incredible and he was able to bring his own twist to the concept and I really got a sense of that inner torment that one might feel when dwelling too much on regrets.

Interview Feature by Karla Harris