New York, NY (Top40 Charts) 17-year-old Georgia-raised, Los Angeles-based dark pop singer/songwriter BELLA KELLY is elated to share her first-ever single "Throat" alongside its riveting horror-themed music video which premiered last Friday (August 7) via Outburn Magazine. The video, seen below, was directed by Vicente Cordero (3Teeth, Skold, Julien-K) along with makeup and propsby Laney Chantal (Marilyn Manson, Slipknot, Rob Zombie) and shows BELLA's villainous side while paying homage to the vintage horror films she grew up on.
BELLA moved to Los Angeles at the age of nine after being cast in a television commercial by a talent agent who discovered her at the mall. She spent the next four years pursuing an acting career which saw her appear in several short films, series, and feature-length movies. She was then introduced to producer
David Gnozzi (MixbusTV, MC SOLAAR) who saw her potential and spent the next two years sharpening her sound and musical identity.
Having battled against adversity from birth by surviving a heart condition that nearly killed her days after she was born, BELLA has always resonated as an outsider who felt unable to connect, so she turned to writing short stories and songs to replace feelings of isolation and sadness. Conjuring strength and resilience from the depths of anxiety, depression, and despair, her music allows safe passage from the real horrors of modern everyday life beckoning those who've struggled with anxiety, depression or hardships.
"This is my first single, I'm very excited and happy to finally see it released," exclaims BELLA. "The video for 'Throat' was David's idea-he knows me better than anyone and this song is very different from my others which are more mellow and emotionally driven. He wanted a strong image for me that counterposed the two sides of me-I'm a sweet girl but I also have had to learn to be strong, so I loved when he came up with the idea of me being a powerful woman in control."
On making the video and finding the right team, BELLA shared, "We had to work around quarantine but the limitations just made us work harder to come up with new ideas and I couldn't be happier with the result.
David had previously met the director Vicente Cordero on the set of a 3Teeth video and knew he'd be the perfect fit for the 'Hellraiser'/ horror movie vibe we were going for."
Cordero adds, "When I was brought on board to direct this music video by
David and heard Bella's new track 'Throat,' I became absolutely excited, not only because the track was great but I knew the potential of this new artist and knew that we would make a beautiful dark piece together. Together we all came up with a treatment that met the vibe and tone-true to the track and the artist. In the end we created an artistic, expressionistic, dark chaos that showcases Bella's tough as nails, femme fatale-like persona encased in a high-quality music video. I am excited to see where her musical journey will take her and the continuation of the story she will tell the world."
"Because of the lyrics, we knew we wanted to have hands around someone's throat, and that's where the prosthetic hand came in," says BELLA. "David immediately thought about Laney Chantal, one of the best make-up/SFX artists in the industry, and she did an amazing job. She also had to work around quarantine to find materials so everything in the video has a story and a unique look because of it."
"To release this single for me means a lot," BELLA divulges. "I don't write music looking for fame and glory, I use music to purge my emotions and with all my other songs, to help people who hopefully will relate with my stories. I feel blessed that I have people around me making this possible."