The Artist Explains: Tilsen - 'Doubt'
Toronto based artist Tilsen talks to us about her performance based video for bubbly electro pop single, ‘Doubt’, shot at a Victorian style mansion with vast gardens, manicured lawns and a hedge-row labyrinth.
Where was the video for 'Doubt' filmed?
The video was filmed in Grey County Ontario, Canada at a Victorian style mansion with vast gardens, manicured lawns and a hedge-row labyrinth.
How does the video connect with the song?
’Doubt’ is a fun song about love and we wanted it to look as beautiful as the way love makes you feel. The song makes you want to dance so I wanted the video to be performance based and for the dance to convey the conviction of the song; that I will never give the person that I love a reason to ‘Doubt’ my feelings for them. I started working on choreography for ‘Doubt’ as soon as it was written.
Do you have any behind the scenes stories you could share with us?
The day we shot the video, it was super cold. I didn’t care about the temperature because I was just so happy to be shooting. The dancers and I wrapped ourselves in blankets to stay warm between shots. I tried to dance as full out as I could so I wouldn’t look as cold as I felt. I’m really grateful that my dancers didn’t give up; they kept dancing despite freezing water from the damp ground seeping through their ballet slippers. I’m so thankful to the team that worked with me on this music video. They brought my dream music video to life.
Can you tell us about the ideas/ themes/ imagery used?
The director, Toronto filmmaker Tim Myles, and I shared the same vision of a young Marie Antoinette running through the gardens of her countryside manor, just consumed with the idea of love. We wanted theatrical make up, vast gardens and the upbeat dance of a pop song tied together to create this world where I felt the song would flourish
What do you hope people take away from watching the video?
I hope that the song and the video inspire you hold onto love and to have faith that lasting love exists if you work for it. I hope that the video transports you to my Victorian fantasy world.
Interview by Karla Harris