Cory Graves
Exclusive Premiere: Check Out Kaela Sinclair's “Original Sin” Video.
Somewhat prophetically, when Kaela Sinclair released her debut LP, Sun & Mirror, we proclaimed she had all the ingredients to become Little D's next big thing.
To a pretty great extent, that's been the case. Though it took most of us critic types a little while to catch on, the UNT grad has become one of Denton's most well-known performers over the past two years, and a respected voice in the music scene, being asked to participate in a panel discussion at this year's 35 Denton and the most recent Rock Lottery alike.
All that momentum has been building towards her new music video for the Sun & Mirror track “Original Sin,” one of the highest quality clips we've seen around here in some time, and one that we're happy to premiere below. Following the clip is a Q&A with Sinclair, who tells us about the track's emotional bent, what it's like to sing the national anthem at a Texas Rangers game and where she goes from here.
It looks like a ton of time and money was spent on this video. Can you tell me a little about the process of putting it together?
A lot of hard work and emotion went into creating this video — from myself, the cast and the team at Cold Fox Films. After several lunch meetings and a lot of emails with the director, cinematographer and producer, we settled on storyline and developed a clear sense of what we wanted to convey. There was quite a bit of legwork that had to be done before the filming actually began. We found several great locations, a hair and makeup artist, rented some extra equipment and lighting, and began casting. Most of it was filmed over the course of a weekend of early mornings and very late nights.
How did the crew and everything come together?
The music video was directed by Dallas filmmaker Ryan Robins. His team included Evan Burns (director of photography) and Heather Childs (producer). I feel very fortunate that I was able to partner with these guys. From the beginning, I felt that they understood my music and my vision as an artist, so I was able to trust in their abilities as artists and creators. They put out a casting call and we chose our actors for the three main roles — Lance De Los Santos, Cynthia Santiago and Julianna Briscoe. They were amazing to watch. They all let themselves be really vulnerable and open, and I think that raw emotion comes through in the video.
Tell me a little about this song. How does the video's narrative help drive that concept?
“Original Sin” is about denial and the different ways that people deal with heartache, grief and sadness. Some people confront their issues head on, some people learn to cope, and some people simply aren't able to get a handle on their emotions and they let their situation spiral out of control. The narrative of the video shows all three reactions through the three main characters. I think a lot of people can relate to the struggle to see the glass half full instead of half empty, and a lot of people have had to hit rock bottom before they were able to truly face their inner demons.
What have you learned and how have you grown since releasing the “Ghosts You've Won” video?
The past year has been pretty amazing. I've played a lot of shows and festivals, and met a lot of new fans! Since the release of my last music video, I've learned a lot about being a business person. I've learned how to work harder than I ever have. I'm pretty sure the basic music business methodology is nose to the grindstone and don't stop till you've made it — or you simply drop dead from exhaustion. When I wake up in the morning, I think: “All you have to do is not quit.” Luckily, I love what I do and wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. Quitting has never been an option.
You recently sang the national anthem at a Texas Rangers game. What was that like?
Incredible! That was one of the coolest things I've done. There were 36,000 people at the game that day, and I got to hang out with Eric Nadel up in his announcers booth for the game. It was crazy. The stadium is huge — so, when I sang, I heard my own voice back at me two or three seconds later. I knew there would be a delay, but it was way worse than I expected. I just fell back on my training, and I feel really happy with how it turned out.
Have you begun the process of planning out your next album?
Yes, I have! I'm going to be recording my second album this fall. I'm so ready to do this thing again. I'll be working with Midlake drummer McKenzie Smith again, and I'm thrilled about that.
What do you have lined up for the rest of 2015?
I'm going to be playing a small festival and a series of shows in Scotland in June, which is pretty much a dream come true. I'll be releasing an original song that I wrote for L.A.-based web series Beautiful Fools this summer, and I've been getting in the studio with Blue, the Misfit and Sam Lao, so expect some collaborations at some point, too. We've also got several exciting shows in DFW in July, including a KXT-sponsored concert with Milo Greene at Club Dada on July 23rd. That night is also my birthday, in case anyone wants to bring me cake. I like red velvet.
