The Debut Music Video From Americana Singer-Songwriter Sarah Johnson Is An Old-School Love Story Set In The Gorgeous Mountains Of Montana.
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Sarah Johnson – “Red Bandana”
RIYL: Rodeo dates.
What Else You Should Know: Earlier this month, Sarah Johnson released her debut EP Volcano, a six-track record about the singer-songwriter’s musical journey in storytelling. Now, Johnson is releasing her first-ever music video for “Red Bandana” and premiering it right here on Central Track.
Inspired by classic folklores of “Traveling Soldier” by The Chicks and Bob Dylan’s “Hurricane,” Johnson wrote her own song about remembering a love that could have been.
“I wrote ‘Red Bandana’ in 2018 after a trip to visit my grandmother in Montana. I actually got on Bumble that trip and met some great local guys,” she says. “When I got home I thought, ‘That would be such a great song — city girl goes to Montana and meets a mountain man.’”
Johnson says filming the music video was a dream come true. She reconnected with her high school friend, videographer Andrew Chad, and took filming back to the scene of the song’s inspiration in Montana.
In the video, Johnson is on a date in the plains of Flathead Valley with a rodeo man, played by her real-life boyfriend. As she sings the chorus of “I’ll give you my red bandana/To remember that night in Montana,” scenes of Johnson wearing a red bandana around her neck among gorgeous, mountainous landscapes create a soft tone. Her warm vocals lend dreamy undertones to the track, but the music video perfectly portrays the sweet significance of the red bandana.
“Since the song tells a clear story, all we had to do was really just follow the lyrics’ lead and capture what the words are saying,” Johnson says. “This video is not only symbolic of my progress, but of the friends and community who have added their time, talent and willingness to help to my journey.”
Johnson’s journey is unique, as she’s finally pursuing her dreams of creating music at the age of 32. Her early 20s helped her grow as a songwriter and performer, but she now believes it’s the right time to shine a light on her uprising voice.
“At 32, I know who I am. I’m secure in who I am. I’m not searching for identity,” she says. “So, to me, this is a beautiful new chapter.”