Watch: James Bay Reveals Space-Themed Music Video For ‘Pink Lemonade’
The multi-award-winning singer/songwriter has made it no secret he’s changing it up with second album Electric Light, but the music video for the second single really drives the message home.
After rising to fame as a folk-rock musician with his debut EP The Dark of The Morning in 2013, Bay had such success no one would ever think he’d change the formula. However, he’s ditched the hat, long hair and acoustic vibe, and is now opting for something more pop-based.
Homing in on childhood memories, Bay’s new video is far more visual than anything else in his catalogue. He’s swapped the raw live footage and darker colour scheme for a more fun, diamanté-encrusted narrative, all while still maintaining elements of his signature gloomy atmosphere.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, he said “I was reminded of a time when I was a about four years old and I told my parents I’d had enough of living with them and would be leaving home. The drama of filling a pillow case with my most essential toys, opening the backdoor and announcing to the kitchen that it was time for me to leave is what gave me the idea for the video. I adapted it to add the spaceship part because I thought it would look better than a pillow case. I wanted to do something that felt serious but silly at the same time.”
The video perfectly represents Bay’s change in sound as he uses an eclectic mix of both acoustic instruments and electronic effects – including autotune at times. Despite the negative connotations of the word “autone”, it doesn’t have a negative effect on the authenticity of his natural voice, and rather enhances it. When previously speaking to the BBC, he has simply compared this effect to just like using a guitar pedal. While there is no controversy around the distortment of instruments, why does it matter when its used on vocals?
Dressed in a glitzy silver shirt and a spacesuit, a drastic change sparks a new era for James Bay, and its looking good.
His second album Electric Light will be out on 18th May via Virgin EMI.