Nothing brings a song to life quite like a music video, and lots of artists approach their visuals with the same passion and creativity that they approach their recorded music. A good music video can bring a song to life in new ways the listener didn’t think of. Lucky for us, countless artists dropped great visuals this month! Here are some of our picks that may have gone under your radar this November.
carpetgarden – “IDC”
Nonbinary artist carpetgarden may not care, but we do because the colorful “IDC” video tackles so many social issues at once! It tackles LGBT romance, bullying, and good old-fashioned heartbreak in a high school for scene kids and the e-girl/boy generation, all over a Beach Boys-esque punk riff. If carpetgarden isn’t already your favorite alt-rock star, you can get to know them on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter!
Clubhouse – “Home Videos” (Live)
Clubhouse show no signs of slowing down after releasing Are We Going Too Slow? earlier this year! They dropped a performance video for their playful love song “Home Videos” and we can’t get enough. The clip shows off their bond as a band and commitment to their artistry, especially after lead singer and guitarist Max Reichert fought bone cancer. You can join Clubhouse’s club of fans by checking them out on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and their website!
flora cash – “A good childhood”
flora cash deliver ukulele-led nostalgia on “A good childhood,” a track that both celebrates and mourns different parts of youth. Made up of Minnesota’s Cole Randall and Sweden’s Shpresa Lleshaj, the duo met through Soundcloud before ultimately getting married and putting their ethereal music out into the world. Step into their magical world by following flora cash on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and their official site!
This video is really close to our hearts. It’s close to autobiographical and sort of portrays us as kids. But of course in real life, Shpresa was all the way in Kosovo while I was in Minnesota. But it’s kind of asking the question: what if we had met when we were 10? So, Shpresa is almost like an imaginary friend to me in this video. And there are some little Easter eggs throughout the video that people might pick up on as well.
Cole Randall
Jacqueline Loor – “Show Them”
In an industry where many female artists are ignored once they move out of their teens and 20s, it’s refreshing to see Jacqueline Loor take charge of her dreams and passion for music while nearing 40. She recently dropped her debut album Show Them, and she’s pushing out its title track as an anthem of empowerment and confidence along with a stunning video shot in Spain’s Anaga Forest. Keep up with Jacqueline Loor on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and her official website!
This island is where all the noise stopped and I realized I needed to pursue my passion of becoming a singer as well as a songwriter. I just started doing this at 36 – people think it’s too late, and that’s bullshit! I want people to realize I’m not a one-trick pony. I have this depth of storytelling as a songwriter, but I’m also a vocalist with a powerful range: I’m really proud of how I was brave enough to hone in those skills.
Jacqueline Loor
Kitchen Dwellers – “Stand At Ease”
After releasing “Stand At Ease” in collaboration with mental wellness group Backline last month, folk-rock quartet Kitchen Dwellers hammer the song’s message home with this colorful animated music video. The clip is directed by Rob Fidel and aims to raise more awareness for those dealing with mental health struggles. You can learn more about Kitchen Dwellers on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and their website!
It’s a reminder there are people who love you and you probably have no idea. The song portrays that you’re not alone. You can reach out.
Kitchen Dwellers
Miss Madeline – “Popstar” (feat. POLO PERKS <3 <3 <3)
Miss Madeline is your future favorite popstar, and her aptly-named “Popstar” proves it! She shows off her confidence throughout the playfully sultry lyrics and there’s a healthy dose of nostalgia, thanks to the song’s 2000s sound and the video’s throwback aesthetic. Get to know Miss Madeline on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter!
Warning: The music video below contains flashing images from around 0:46 to 0:51, 1:06 to 1:10, and 2:00 to 2:08 – viewer discretion is advised for people with photosensitivity.
Move Like Creatures – “Mind Reader”
Once you watch this video from Move Like Creatures, you won’t believe it’s their debut single! “Mind Reader” is a slick pop-rock track about the importance of taking care of your mental health, whether or not those around you understand what you’re dealing with. It suggests a promising future for the female-fronted four-piece, and it’s clear they move with a vibrant passion. Get ahead of the bandwagon by checking them out on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and their official website!
NIKI – “Split”
NIKI pays homage to her Indonesian roots while describing her experience living in the US on “Split,” a retro-tinged song with a mellow, sunny vibe despite its melancholy lyrics. The track, which comes in collaboration with the Asian-American 88rising label, has sweet nods to her family and heritage, and just as stunning as the song is its aesthetically pleasing music video, shot on the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. Fulfill your craving for more NIKI content by following her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and stay up to date on 88rising news on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter!
I wrote it about having to split myself between Indo and LA and feeling like I have to constantly ‘split the difference’/adapt/assimilate all the time. It’s a song about home and identity or maybe the struggle to find either. It’s very very personal and I hope you guys love it as much as I do!
NIKI
Princess Goes To The Butterfly Museum – “Tomorrow’s Screams”
Great for fans of 80s new wave, Princess Goes To The Butterfly Museum are one of the most compelling rock bands out there. Even if you’re not into their sound you’ll be reeled in by music videos like “Tomorrow’s Screams,” which cleverly flips average items like apples, treehouses, and mason jars into a visual journey. Connect with the group on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and their official site!
I laid in bed with headphones on one night and listened to the song on loop for hours until I fell asleep, just letting my subconscious work it out, jotting down feelings, impressions and visuals as they came. The toothpaste and silly string moments were ones that occurred to me in that way, via a kind of dream state, and I felt they would work with my vision of each of the guys being on a solo, as well as a collective, journey.
Director and cinematographer Lexie Moreland
RODERIK – “American Dream”
RODERIK put a retro spin on their third single, “American Dream,” with a music video showing off how restrictive the typical 9-5 schedule and social standards are. Tied up in alcohol, cigars, and flashes to gore and chains, the main character doesn’t get to enjoy his time with his wife and children because of his focus on work. Learn more about the band on Facebook and Instagram!
When you rip apart the lyrics of ‘American Dream,’ it’s all about my experience of working for someone else and feeling like I’m stranded in this job that’s never going to go anywhere for me. I would often daydream about where I could be or who I could be with instead, doing anything else, and in typical RODERIK fashion, we took that very concept and pushed it to the extreme. That’s where the video comes into play. We really worked hard to create something that embodies that feeling, and hope that people connect to this video the way we do.
Lead singer Jake Anthony Salazar
TATYANA – “Right Places”
TATYANA’s 80s-esque new single will hit your ears in all the “Right Places!” We love the fun props in the video, like the lobster phone and headless statue. TATYANA has made one thing clear throughout her career: if you’re in for the ride, you’ll be transported to a pop wonderland. You can link up with her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!
I wrote ‘Right Places’ in 2019 and it feels good to finally put it out. At my shows, people always ask me if the main hook that underpins the song is an electric guitar, but it’s actually a synth sound I designed in Ableton. Lyrically, it’s quite an in-your-face sexy song. I love a double entendre – ‘love me in the right places’ could mean different things. To me, the song captures the high you feel when you meet a stranger you have undeniable chemistry with. It’s so pop and punk and fun and goes off every time I play it live.
TATYANA
Y the Ghost – “Heart to Heart”
Combining nature and technology in a mystical way, the latest offering from Y the Ghost feels more like a journey than a music video. It explores the human connection, introspection, and honesty with yourself, making it the perfect song to soundtrack the ending weeks of your year. You can support Y the Ghost on Bandcamp, Facebook, Instagram, and his official website!
It’s about the desire for authentic, loving communication in a relationship on the brink of disintegrating. What started as a song about a relationship with one person evolved into a song that’s more broadly about my relationship with the world as well as the relationship between internal parts of me that had become estranged from each other.
Y the Ghost
