New York, NY (Top40 Charts) If Rachael Sage's new video for her track "Snowed In" strikes you as disturbing, that is certainly intentional. Directed by up-and-coming Norwegian film director Martine Skogstad and shot in London, the highly stylized clip captures the paranoid essence of Sage's song about controversial whistle-blower Edward Snowden and the NSA. Via harrowing imagery meant to both intrigue and rattle the viewer, unsettling characters emerge from a dark, mysterious location that feels equal parts "Blair Witch Project" and deliberately, if not desperately, off-the-grid. In a moment where distrust of politicians and the media has reached an all-time high, identity theft is rampant and our sensitive information seems to be perpetually at risk, Sage's poetic opening lyric "spiral ladders falling from the sky / I know everything about you" feels eerily literal.
As Sage explains, "the technological aspects of surveillance are referenced very often today in media, so Martine and I liked the idea of addressing the topic on a more atmospheric, emotional and subconscious level." As our protagonist searches her surroundings with a single flashlight, we're unsure if she's running from something sinister, or losing her way in a strange nightmare, reflecting the unease that comes when we don't feel like we have a space to retreat to any more.
Director Skostad reveals her goal was "to make familiar scenes feel uncanny, unsafe, and exposed, introducing small subtle elements of surveillance into everyday intimate moments."
A definitive departure from her previous videos, "Snowed In" nonetheless embodies Sage's goal of continuing to evolve as an artist, challenging the audience with an engaging and visually compelling video that encourages interpretation.
"Working with Martine Skogstad on this video was really exciting for me because her approach is much more abstract than I'm used to. She's entirely impressionistic, and the way she features actors and uses them in such a poetic way really moves me. The camera lingers on weathered faces in near-darkness, as we wonder how these seemingly wretched individuals are connected, and what kind of distressed/damaged 'community' we're witnessing...How does how our protagonist fit into this mysterious, cryptic landscape, what will she learn from it, and will she escape it? While I wrote this song about something very specific, I think Martine's cinematic treatment prompts questions that are as timely as ever about human fragility, loss of innocence, and resilience."
ABOUT RACHAEL SAGE: Since founding her own label MPress Records two decades ago, NYC-based alt-pop artist Rachael Sage has steadily released a slew of vibrant, dynamic albums with poetic lyrics spanning subjects as wide as her inspirations. She has toured with an eclectic list of artists including Ani DiFranco, Beth Hart,
Sarah McLachlan, Judy Collins and
Howard Jones. Sage also continues to significantly grow her visibility via her many song placements, including 22 songs on top reality show "Dance Moms", translating into over 10 million YouTube hits. Her new album "Myopia" is a bold departure for Sage, with a much stronger emphasis on her guitar playing over her signature piano palette. Produced by Sage and her longtime engineer, 2-time Grammy® Nominee John Shyloski, the album features drummer Doug Yowell (Joe Jackson, Duncan Sheik), keyboardist Rob Curto (Lila Downes), trumpeter Russ Johnson (Elvis Costello, Deborah Harry) and bassist Mike Visceglia (Suzanne Vega). Sage will be releasing an acoustic version of "Myopia", entitled "PseudoMyopia", in March of 2019 and will support the album with a full schedule of performances throughout the year.
