The Artist Explains: Jett Kwong - 'Away'
Jett Kwong talks to us about the ideas behind her powerful visuals for intoxicating single, ‘Away’ which is concerned with letting go of the pressures in our lives.
Where was the video for ‘Away’ filmed?
The video was filmed at a studio in LA.
How does the video connect with the song?
The video concepts began emerging in my mind as I was working on the song. I often find that visuals strongly connect me with any content, especially when I'm making music. The video is an interpretation of the lyrics and feeling of the song, filmed with cinematographer Huan Manton. Huan is also half Chinese, and on all of our projects we want to weave in our unique perspectives. We also emphasise having more people of colour and women not only in the cast, but in the crew.
Do you have any behind the scenes stories you can share with us?
The video for ‘Away’ was filmed in tandem with two other music videos in a span of three days - it was an insane experience, but I feel so lucky to have had so much support from the awesome crews!
Could you tell us about the ideas/ themes/ imagery used?
The concepts are both directly related to the message of the song and abstract in its content. We wanted to express a mix of mindlessness, monotony, and complacency with the lighting and effect choices, as well as the cast's performance. There are some visuals like the black sludge and red rope/lasso that can be read in multiple ways and interpreted by each viewer.
Is there a message the video is trying to convey?
All of the cast members are specifically artists of different mediums who are striving to create balance in their artistic and work lives, mirroring the lyrics of the song. But in general, ‘Away’ is a reminder to practice letting go of the pressures we all feel - both outwardly and inwardly imposed. Our aim with the visual component of the song is to perhaps ignite the viewer's questioning of what is monotonous, complacent, or worth investigating in their own lives.
Interview feature by Karla Harris