Exclusive: British singer Anne-Marie on shooting her music video while self-isolating

Her music video for her latest single 'To Be Young' was shot remotely using her phone. Photos: Warner Music

Music is just as much a visual experience as it is an auditory experience.

Glossy music videos have become a norm over the years. Set in exotic locales, artistes adorned in eye-catching frocks bust out hip-popping moves alongside a chorus of dancers in front of the camera.

Unfortunately, all that might be taking a backseat for now, as Covid-19 cases continue to climb all over the world.

British singer Anne-Marie, who shot a music video during the pandemic, knows firsthand what that means.

“Music videos are so extravagant, especially with pop videos, ” the 29-year-old reflects during an exclusive video call from Britain with StarLifestyle.

Anne-Marie shot the music video of her latest single, To Be Young (featuring Doja Cat), remotely using – get this – her phone.

Director Hannah Lux Davis then added a colourful array of visual effects to the footage.

“I worked with the director that did (past hits) Friends and 2002. So I knew that it was going to end up being really cool. But the process was really hard, ” she admits.

Still, Anne-Marie takes the challenges posed by Covid-19 in her stride, sharing: “I had a lot of fun because I could do my own hair and makeup and I could wake up whenever I wanted to and start (later), instead of seven in the morning, which it normally does.”

Anne-Marie explains the message of 'To Be Young' is that it's OK for young people to not know exactly what they want to do for the rest of their lives yet.

In the music video, she can be seen spending the day at a luxurious loft. She makes use of every inch of the confined space – filming in the bedroom, bathroom, living room, kitchen and a rooftop. Doja Cat also contributed footage remotely.

Of course, compared to her past music videos, To Be Young is noticeably dialled-down but it is still no less visually-arresting.

“I feel like I appreciate the people behind the scenes of a music video much more than I did before, ” she says, crediting the director and her team who helped dress up the footage.

Recording from the living room

Not only did the pandemic throw a wrench in the music video-making process, but the music-making process too.

To Be Young was written earlier but recording only started during the lockdown.

“I wrote To Be Young last October. Doja heard it right at the start of the lockdown and she loved it. So she wrote the verse and recorded it and sent it back to me.

“I had goosebumps all over my body. But because it was happening during the lockdown, we weren’t in the studio together.”

She talks about recording parts of the song at home: “It was strange because I’ve never done it before. But it was really cool because it was in my living room and I just felt so comfortable in my own space.

“And no one else was there. Just me. So I felt like I could just let loose.”

She adds: “I wonder if people can tell the difference in my vocals.”

The singer-songwriter also takes a moment to consider whether the pandemic has resulted in a greater emphasis on music’s auditory experience, given the fact that music videos will have to be pared down for the time being.

“I feel like now people can really just focus on the music. And that’s really cool to me because that’s so important.

“And I feel like I try to do my best with the lyrics and the message that I put across. Hopefully, people listen to that message even more.”

A celebration of youth

As its title suggests, the message of To Be Young is simply a celebration of being young and being devoid of worry.

“When I was a teenager, a lot of people would ask me, ‘What is your plan for your life? What are you going to do?’ And I felt like I had to know what I was going to do for the rest of my life when I was younger. That was so scary to me.

“I feel like we need to take that pressure away from kids and just let them have fun and live in the moment and not worry too much about the future.”

Asked if To Be Young has taken on a new meaning since the pandemic struck, she replies: “In hard times, everyone turns to music. So I feel like this song just gives people a little reminder of what the world is going to be eventually again, that everything’s going to be OK.

“I hope it gives people just a little moment of happiness, freedom and a bit of a smile.”

On April 7 – at the height of the pandemic – Anne-Marie turned 29 and celebrated her own youth.

“A lot of my friends dropped off balloons for me. They obviously didn’t come in but they left it all outside, ” she recalls.

“I also did a YouTube Live video (with her fans) where I just sang a few songs. My friends and family also pitched in and made their own music video to (her most recent single at the time) Birthday.

“That was pretty special. They all played it to me and it was very funny.”

Anne-Marie says being house-bound during the pandemic has been tough as she's more accustomed to tour life.

The singer reveals she was initially afraid of celebrating her birthday on her own, as she always celebrated it with her teammates while on tour.

Home (not so) sweet home

Anne-Marie scrunches up her face when asked her if she is enjoying the house-bound, highly routined everyday life the pandemic has brought about.

“I don’t really like structure. I don’t really like to know what the next day brings, ” the Rockabye hitmaker says with a laugh.

“So being on tour is like the perfect thing for me because I never know where I’m going to end up. I never know where I am. I’m just going from one country to another.”

So accustomed to being constantly on the move, the Essex native admits staying at home for the past few months has been a challenge.

“Being at home every day, where from one day to the next, things are the same, the same, the same, it was really hard for me to adjust.”

Anne-Marie adds the toughest part is having no one by her side.

“I feel like I need humans. I need human energy around me. It’s made me realise that I take that human energy for granted and I will never do that again.”

She passes the time by exploring interests she has always wanted to try.

“I’ve always wanted to grow my own vegetables. I planted all of these things in the beginning of lockdown, and they’ve finally started to grow, ” she enthuses.

“Also, I’ve been cooking a lot. Obviously, when you’re on tour, you don’t get to cook. So it’s been fun figuring out how to cook food.”

She adds humbly: “I wouldn’t recommend anyone trying it.”