Grace McLean’s theatrical talents are on full display in her latest music video for ‘My Lovely Enemy’: Hollywood-tier film production for a top-notch soundtrack
VIDEO Review: ‘My Lovely Enemy‘ Grace McLean / Directed by Mau Quiros
It’s obvious that Grace isn’t just a talented singer-songwriter, but also an accomplished theatre actor. Now she moves closer to Hollywood with a new music video for the title track off her latest album My Lovely Enemy. It encompasses skilled production with a surrealist edge and imagery ladened with dark symbolism, bringing to life this masterpiece about transforming horrible experiences into opportunities for growth.
And now with my last breath I bind myself to you
It’s just a little death that keeps me from my groom
Grace McLean and her team haven’t held back on professionalism with the latest music video for My Lovely Enemy, the title track off her latest album.
While the lyrics above are shown on the screen amid brilliantly engaging shots, you’d be fooled into thinking you’re watching the latest trailer for a blockbuster thriller series on Netflix. But it’s not, it’s the film adaptation of My Lovely Enemy, a song about transforming uncomfortable and upsetting situations into opportunities for growth and empowerment.
BACKGROUND
In our previous chat with Grace, she revealed how she wrote the song after a particularly hard breakup, starting from a series of voice memos she recorded during her walks home from the subway in the rain.
It’s quite astonishing that what started just as rough voice notes have now become superb pieces of music and film making directed by Mau Quiros – an esteemed musician, pianist and director whom she met in Russia when they were touring on a US State Department sponsored programme (bring that back please).
“I knew his eye for dark beauty would be perfect for this song. Luckily he agreed and was inspired to show the visual narrative of the duelling forces, the dark and light, the lovely enemy.”
Encapsulating somewhat of a historical theme and aesthetic, the video draws from Hildgard of Bingen’s work about St. Ursula impeccably – a work about having gratitude towards the oppressor, as martyrdom leads to unity with the divine.
The song My Lovely Enemy was originally written to be part of Grace’s ‘In The Green’ musical about the aforementioned 12th century polymath and mystic, but ultimately didn’t end up there – perhaps a blessing in disguise as the track suits this video production perfectly.
EXCEPTIONAL PRODUCTION
Having taken quite a sad circumstance and spun it around into something positive, the shots in this video are brimming with meaning and metaphor construed through high level production.
A stunning story of contradiction is put forward throughout, in keeping with Hildgard’s St. Ursula – with shots like her washing dishes in blood (thought up by Mau) both upholding dichotomy and adding a surreal, edgy and dark theme to the video.
“Instead of following expected domestic norms, e.g. using the sink to wash something clean, I’m subverting the space of the kitchen and bringing to the forefront an image of the messiness, humanness, vitality and pain inherent to woman’s labour.”
One of the biggest elements that makes this video a top tier production is the setting, and imagery that comes with it. Filmed in the Spring of 2021, Grace recounts finding a location for the video as the biggest challenge, eventually very lucky to have her friend let them use their beautiful family home in New Hampshire to film the video. After strings of failed location shoots during peak pandemic times, this was a god send – although Grace did struggle to find a pharmacy with COVID tests in this rural setting before rushing to her next job.
With overhead panning shots, intense closeups and clever use of lighting before the music has even started, I can’t help but yearn for a ‘My Lovely Enemy’ drama/thriller series to come as a result of this – and with Grace a distinguished theatre actor, perhaps this wouldn’t be that out of the question.
CONCLUSION
This is David Lynch meets ‘Little House on the Prarie’ all complimenting an exceptional soundtrack that’s quite hard to categorise into any particular genre. I can’t think of anything that would enliven this music more than this video offering; and clearly Grace’s songwriting, singing and fierce acting performances alongside Mau’s dynamic film production are a match made in heaven. Watch the full video below and let us know your thoughts in the comments!
This means I’m especially pleased to learn that videos for other album tracks ‘Reckless’ and ‘Albertine’ are out now. And If you’re impressed with this video you’ll be excited to hear that Grace has ideas for other videos for songs on this album, likely to come out next year.
