Denver singer YaSi is a designer, an activist, a wordsmith, and an all-around creative. She premiered her video to "Again, Again I" on Tuesday, and spoke with Indie 102.3 about how she used the music video to capture one of her lowest moments.
Q: This video feels very vulnerable. Tell us what it was like filming something so personal?
YaSi: This song is about one of my lowest moments and definitely one of the most vulnerable songs I’ve put out. But prior to filming I had the videographers, Samantha Keller and Blake Jackson, over at my house and explained to them that I wanted the viewer to really feel, or at least see, how low I was feeling when I wrote this. You know it’s hard to let your walls down and be filmed like that, but I knew I had to be vulnerable not only for the video but for me too.
Q: What did the process look like for putting this visual together? Who was involved? What was your vision for the project?
YaSi: I remember a few days before I wrote the song, I was having a crying session in the shower [laughs]. And while I was crying I was like, "Here I am again and again. I just want to feel like I can breathe." Just saying that out loud, at like 2AM, I really just felt every word. So I knew I wanted to bring in the element of taking a shower or a bath because that is where I was the most vulnerable. As for the process, I knew that I wanted to have 35 mm film contrasting with digital. Lucky for me, the two people I love and respect were not only happy to film but saw my vision. Samantha Keller and Blake Jackson then brought together a group for extra hands (Briana, Jason, Brady and CJ) along with hair and makeup. You’d think that getting your makeup perfect for a crying scene would be easy, but it’s not. I was also lucky to have Sierra Smith and Marin Johnson help out too.
Q: What do you want the viewers to take away from your video?
YaSi: Just like with the song, I want viewers to know that it’s OK to feel like sh**. And even if that feeling lasts for years, or comes in waves, it’s only natural, and it happens again and again and again. Being vulnerable is the best thing you can do for yourself with people you trust and I trust my music so I want to be transparent with everything I do.
Q: Why did you choose the live audio to pair with this video?
YaSi: I’ve had the video footage for like a year and a half. But it just didn’t feel right in the moment. It was like something was missing. While being on tour with Iyla and a virtually unknown opener, this was the song where I felt the audience started to let their walls down with me. Knowing that we were going to play my home away from home, Larimer Lounge, I thought it was perfect to record it there. Once we put the audio and video together it felt right. I sounded vulnerable but hopeful and when I perform this song live, I always end the song with “I hope one day you’re gonna feel fine.” Because I really hope we all do.
