The Artist Explains: Grizzly Coast - 'Forever'

We talk to Toronto-based indie rock artist Grizzly Coast about her newest single and music video, ‘Forever’, which explores the longing and loneliness of being in a relationship that has run its course.

Where was the video for 'Forever’ filmed?
Forever was filmed at Pie in the Sky studios in Toronto by Parliament Pictures Co.

Do you have any behind the scenes stories you could share with us?
My partner Kyle Micheal Murray (no relation to Chad), worked as an art director on the shoot. Him and I sourced all of the props and backdrops for this video, and the night before shooting I saw him putting the axe we use for camping in the car. He was so committed to having me wielding this axe somehow incorporated into the video, because it juxtaposed against the gauzy, feminine nightgowns I was wearing during the shoot. On set, we were all laughing at him, totally unsure of how we could pull it off. Kyle suggested I tie it to a string and wear it as a guitar to cut between performance shots, since people often refer to their guitar as their “axe". I regrettably veto-d his idea, despite thinking it was really cool, just because I couldn’t rationalize how it made sense thematically. Then a few days after shooting our other art director Hailey Uens sent me a photo of January Jones on Mad Men holding an assault rifle in a classic nightgown lamenting about how incorporating the axe was a missed opportunity! But there is always next time… when I write a song about being an axe murderer or something in a concept album far far into the future!

Could you tell us about the ideas/ themes/ imagery used?
The letters unsent, the twins playing backgammon, my isolation, all show a person who is not actually forging connections in the outside world. I think having a crush is a bit like living in a bubble. The crushed party is often unremarkable, and sometimes you don’t even know anything about them, and yet your crush exists as this ever-present object of infatuation in your head for whatever delusional reason. This video shows that you can have a whole narrative that informs your life about someone else without even having to leave your house.

Is there a message the video is trying to convey?
The video acts as a visual representative of the song, in which the lyrical message acts as a warning that while it can be easy to get caught up in relationships that push you away and pull you back in repeatedly, mixed signals in dating are actually a strong message, and you can step away from that cycle once it becomes clear. Since the song also evokes feelings of romanticism, longing, and loneliness, the video depicts me in my home, not aspiring to much, just engaging in activities that you would do on your own like writing emo notes to someone else that you’ll never dream of sending.

Interview by Karla Harris