Eagle-eyed readers may recognise the name; Emilia had a huge global hit when she was 18 with the insanely catchy "Big Big World" . . . Which was one of the big ol' songs of my youth! And now she's back in all her pop enchantress glory - with a new album that's a slinky segue into the rich, jazz sounds she grew up on. A sultry, soulful star - and an absolute dream to direct.
The promo marked my first video for my new music video home Red Lion - and an irresistible opportunity to mount a location-based video in foreign climes! My aim for the promo was to helm an intimate introduction to Emilia and her sound - we're lost in her dreamy song. We see Emilia retreat from the dying embers of a party in a grand villa to a shimmering, Balearic sunrise . . . And we never take our eyes off her for a second. It's Emilia's space, her vibe, her video.
The video was also a fabulous chance to work for the first time with the insanely talented hair and make-up artist Jane Bradley and the phenomenal beauty journalist and stylist Susanna Cohen. The look? Effortless natural beauty with a tribal chic / Grecian goddess edge . . . And the divine Ms Mitiku was certainly all of that.
Together with my regular DoP Charlie Herranz, the whole experience an absolute, sun-drenched joy - even for a deathly pale Irish boy like myself! And it was lovely to see my sketches - like the one below - come alive. As you can see from the behind the scenes pictures, my video called for quite a few locations.
And quite a frequently stressed out director . . !
Yep. A huge, decadent Spanish museum, a sandstone cave hidden on a cliff face and filled with glitterballs, and a little private beach . . . All in a day's work. And only the best for my beloved Ms Mitiku . . !
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