Its 10am in New York City. I'm sat at my laptop watching, once more, the most recent cut of the new music video. I squint. When you put so much of yourself into something it's sometimes hard to be objective; to separate yourself and step back to ask the question, is this actually any good. I think you be the hardest critic, whilst also knowing when to let things go. I pause the video @2.14 'maybe this shot is a little too similar to the last'.
Sam Way
But my thoughts are interrupted. The phone rings.
' You've been confirmed on an editorial for GLAMOUR magazine, you have to be there at 11am…I've sent you a mail, can you get there?' The phone hangs up. All musing over the music video must stop. I have to move.
Out the door, on the L train, across town and into the studio. In both industries I feel, when opportunity knocks you have to be ready. Arriving, I'm passed through hair and make-up and immediately grasp the scale of the production. It's big: 3 girls at the top of their game - the ones you already follow on Instagram that have graced, maybe on more than one occasion, the front cover of Vogue - are going to feature alongside a roster of more than 20+ artists, dancers, socialites, designers, musicians, DJs and vegan chefs in a story that will carry the entire issue. It's an honour to be here amongst so many incredible characters and up and coming talent. So I waste no time in asking questions, basically chatting to whoever is closet whilst trying to remember as many names as I can. I become particularly fond of the girl doing my hair and make up, also a musician in a band, a bass player - who confides quietly to me, when asked conversationally if she had any plans that evening, that she no social life anymore because she has an old dog.
I'm taken from hair and make-up, away from some admittedly adorable images of one old dog, and put in my first look by the stylist who casually notes, in that sort of half joking half not sort of way, that surrounded by so many clothes and so many people, that she is totally losing the plot. I walk to set. I'm dressed head to toe in a woodland green suede suit, and am placed next to one of the super models - an absolute sweetheart - in a party type scenario with 6 others and the camera begins to flash relentlessly. 50 shots later the photographer - a charming and enthusiastic man I've had the pleasure of working with before- comes into set and with a thick Spanish accent gives us some more specific direction as to what he wants. He points to the screen. 'Sam I love this…when you are looking at her like smiling and talking to her, and Emily - when you are just turning your head away like you don't care… like who is this guy? …This is great do that again'.
We break for a lunch, and over chicken, quinoa, black coffee and kale meet another singer songwriter (middle in photo) - and his publicist - who's going to be featured in the magazine. We hit it off and swap details and spotify's. His publicist asks too if we have anyone working the new single in the States, and concludes I should give him a call, passing me his card. I've only been in NYC for 2 weeks, but I just feel there is so much opportunity here. I don't know what it is - but people are on a different kind of hustle.
Back on set - 10 of us are all dressed in Denim and crowd around two dancers, one of whom is the girl starring in Kanye's new music video FADE, and the other a guy who, in a nauseating way, can contort his body beyond the realms of possibility. So they both move, shake, pop, twist, flare and twerk whilst we all react in glee as much as we wince in discomfort.
The day is almost over, but things have been slower than everyone expected, and I have to keep on delaying my meeting in midtown with another singer-songwriter in half an hour slots as the shoot continues. Eventually, with my make up barely off my face and a hat covering a head still covered in styling gel, I take a taxi to a tea shop on W55th to do my final little bit of hustle for the day to meet Bonzie, a young starlet with the voice of a siren, who is in town to talk to Warner Bro's and a few managers. 2 years ago I actually featured in one of her music videos, and it still isn't out yet! She's waiting for the perfect time - which might be soon - we both hope.
So tomorrow - I jump back on the L train with a skip in my step - Tomorrow, after a good sleep, I'll work out what we shots we need to change in music video… The single is due out on the 4th of November, I definitely can't wait 2 years!
More to come… On the countdown to the big release!
Thanks for reading.
Catch me on Spotify, just search my name, check out the last EP on iTunes here: http://bit.ly/2cqS5tKEP01US
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