New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Toronto singer, songwriter, producer and all-round creative TYRA JUTAI is making some of the most compelling alternative pop music right now as is evident on her brand new conceptual EP You Weren't A Muse, which is inspired by Golden Age Hollywood actress, singer and sex symbol Mae West and her classic 1933 movie I'm No Angel. Taken from the 6-track EP offering, Jutai is excited to present the cinematic music video for early favourite 'FRIDA'.
Written and produced by Tyra Jutai and award-winning Montreal producer John
Nathaniel (Gwen Stefani, OneRepublic, Kygo), with the accompanying visuals conceptualised by Jutai and burgeoning creative director Piper Ellis, 'Frida' is an exquisite slow-burning gloomy pop offering driven by ominous marching drums and string arrangements, which sees Jutai unfolding a gripping tale of betrayal, jealousy and ultimate revenge between lovers and best friends that is underpinned by her captivating songwriting and resounding vocal showing.
Speaking about the inspiration behind the 'Frida' single, Tyra Jutai says, "The song 'Frida' was inspired by a beautiful woman who tried to hook up with my boyfriend while I wasn't around. I really fixated on the psychology of understanding going after someone else's lover. When I say 'were you tortured by the same things that I was, running around looking for love to steal', what I mean is that both
Frida and I were lacking love and trying to find it where we could. In my case, I was lacking respect in my relationship, and in hers, I guess it could be lacking attention or affection".
Giving further context into the muse for 'Frida', Jutai adds that, "She was such a beautiful woman and so wild, just like me, even in the short amount of time I knew her, I knew we were similar. It's not really her I'm shaming in the song, but rather my ex, like when I say I would have run off with his best friend, if he had one. In the end - of the story and of the song - I am thanking
Frida for pointing out a world of trouble in my relationship that was bubbling below the surface, waiting for a catalyst to unravel it all. I am thanking her for being that catalyst".
As for how the visuals for 'Frida' came about, Jutai says, "We wanted to create a world in which time and space are irrelevant, kind of like in Wes Anderson films, where you're never too sure in what time period the story is happening. The mint-room scenes with me as the gun-toting Tyra appear to be the movie being screened in the theatre, but it also represents the internal mental state of the Tyra in the audience. The peach-clad blonde in the back of the theatre is Frida, also played by me, which demonstrates the fluid nature of jealousy in love triangles.
The video echoes the song lyrics in showing how
Frida is really pointing out that someone who is ready and willing to cheat will do so. The video is inspired by the themes of jealousy, revenge, decadence, and decay from the song. I also love cinema and cinematic music, so it only made sense to shoot most of the video in an old theatre. I also love drag and camp and anything dramatic. To me it isn't over-the-top, it's an outward manifestation of how I feel inside, and I think to convey those feelings visually to an audience, you have to go all out for a song like this".
Recommended if you like the sounds of
Jessie Reyez, Lana Del Rey,
Amy Winehouse or Lady Gaga, Tyra Jutai is one of those rare modern artists that has the uncanny ability to capture any listener's imagination. Equal parts captivating troubadour, avant-garde provocateur, and femme fatale, the Toronto native has crafted a compelling sound that is as intimate as it is universal. She weaves together all facets of her creative mind - from her music and the arts to fashion and poetry - to create an undeniable artistic expression held together by her impossible-to-ignore voice.
