The next creative evolution of Vera Blue is upon us as the enigmatic pop powerhouse reveals the darker side of her craft.
Known for fearless explorations of songwriting and performance, Vera Blue has taken a bold new direction on her new single 'The Way That You Love Me' along with a video clip unlike anything the artist has done before.
A noticeable departure from her usual work, Vera admits she was concerned about how audiences, especially established fans, would respond to the video. “When writing a song or working on a film clip, I always take into consideration what the audience will think and how they may react to it,” Vera says.
“For this song I wanted to be real and honest and push myself and the sound, so I felt the video needed just as much of a push. The project is always evolving and as artists, it’s something we have to do to keep it all exciting and fresh.
"This next phase of Vera Blue sonically and visually is something that was always going to happen. It feels good to be able to express myself differently and more openly.”
Directed by Benn Jae (who has previously worked with Boy & Bear, The Veronicas and Jessica Mauboy), the video for 'The Way That You Love Me' brings with it a never-before-seen maturity and sexuality from Vera Blue.
“We sent Benn the song and he wrote up a fantastic treatment and storyline on how the song made him feel and how he wanted to represent the song visually,” Vera explains.
“It felt good to push myself out of my comfort zone and create something with Benn that made sense to the song and evoked so many emotions. It gave us all such a buzz of energy and life.”
Daring and provocative, the video centres around a powerful dance number executed by Vera and a bevy of scantily-clad dancers in a writhing, sweaty whorl of bare flesh and wet-look pleather. “As soon as the song was produced and written it just made me feel so many emotions and it made me want to dance,” Vera explains.
“So I had a vision to have dancers and choreography that evoked dark emotions and angst but at the same time fierceness and strength. Together with Benn’s vision we really took the video and song to the next level of crazy.”
In describing his own vision for the video, Benn says: “When hearing the song, I immediately felt it had a nod to Madonna’s earlier work, and was instantly inspired to explore the early '90s genre clips, but with a millennium edge.”
Though it's certainly something different it's not entirely unexpected, as change has been a matter of course for Vera Blue as the main creative project of singer-songwriter Celia Pavey. Celia made her breakthrough in the 2013 season of 'The Voice Australia', joining Team Delta and finishing third in the competition.
That same year she released her debut studio album 'This Music', which peaked at number 14 on the ARIA charts but failed to show the true scope of Celia's artistry as an original songwriter and performer. In 2015, Celia announced her new project Vera Blue and released her 'Fingertips' EP the following year.
Establishing a firm identity and reputation for Vera Blue with a series of critically acclaimed releases, including her second album 'Perennial' in 2017, this new incarnation was inevitable. “I think the main change has been finding the comfort in vulnerability and honesty,” Celia says about the changes she's seen in herself since beginning Vera Blue.
“People are able to make your story their own and feel connected. It makes me feel like I’m not alone. With this music I feel so much freedom.
“['The Way That You Love Me'] is a very different song for me, so I’m glad people are connecting with it and enjoying it. For me this song is exciting, it’s dark and it’s a fresh new sound for us. It makes me want to dance and I love seeing the dance ensemble videos of fans.”
'The Way That You Love Me' and its video coincide with Vera's recent run of live performances that has seen her take command of the Lollapalooza stage with Flume and sell-out both of her Red Rocks shows in Colorado.
As 'The Way That You Love Me' climbs charts and clocks up streams worldwide, Vera Blue brings her new music and new-look live show to Australian audiences when she tours with Alex The Astronaut until October as well as hitting Falls Festival over New Year's.
“I love Alex [The Astronaut] and everything she is as a human and an artist,” Vera enthuses. “It’s going to be a special tour going to some places and venues we haven’t yet visited.”
As the new evolution of Vera Blue continues to take shape and surprise us, only Celia truly knows what's coming next for her and what exciting shape that may take.
“At the moment I'm just exploring new sounds and vibes,” she teases, “pushing the project in new directions and having fun along the way. I love what I do and I love so much that I get to share it.”
2019/2020 Falls Festival Dates
28-31 Dec 2019 - 985 Erskine Falls Rd, Lorne VIC 323229-31 Dec - Marion Bay Rd, Bream Creek TAS 7175
31 Dec & 1-2 Jan - North Byron Parkalnds, Wooyung, Byron Bay, NSW, 2481
4-5 Jan - Parry Street, Fremantle, Western Australia, WA, 6160
Vera Blue 2019 Tour Dates with Alex The Astronaut
Fri 30 Aug - Snowtunes Festival (Jindabyne)Sat 31 Aug - The Cube (Wodonga)
Sat 7 Sep - NEX (Newcastle)
Sun 8 Sep - C.ex (Coffs Harbour)
Thu 12 Sep - Astor Theatre (Perth)
Fri 13 Sep - HQ Complex (Adelaide)
Thu 19 Sep - Saloon Bar (Launceston)
Fri 20 Sep - Uni Bar (Hobart)
Sat 21 Sep - Costa Hall (Geelong)
Sat 5 Oct - Yours & Owls Festival (Wollongong)
Fri 11 Oct - Brothers (Cairns)
Sat 12 Oct - James Cook Uni Bar (Townsville)
Sun 13 Oct - Magnums (Airlie Beach)
Bonus round - read our complete Q&A with Vera Blue
It looks like it's been a busy year for you so far; what have been some of the highlights?
It sure has! I’ve been having the most amazing time in the studio with my team working on some new music; doing a few shows here and there has been really fun too. Working on the music video for my latest single was a highlight for this year so far, and playing Lollapalooza with Flume recently too.
Have you been enjoying the response to 'The Way That You Love Me'?
Yes! It’s had such a great response. It’s a very different song for me, so I’m glad people are connecting with it and enjoying it. For me this song is exciting, it’s dark and it’s a fresh new sound for us. It makes me want to dance and I love seeing the dance ensemble videos of fans.
What was the vision you had for the video when you were writing 'The Way That You Love Me'?
As soon as the song was produced and written it just made me feel so many emotions and it made me want to dance, so I had a vision to have dancers and choreography that evoked dark emotions and angst, but at the same time fierceness and strength. Together with Benn’s vision, we really took the video and song to the next level of crazy. I love it.
How did Benn Jae help bring your vision for the song to life in the video?
We sent Benn the song and he wrote up a fantastic treatment and storyline on how the song made him feel, and how he wanted to represent the song visually. Benn had his own storyline for the video, which I loved so much.
It was cheeky fun and fierce, and a fantastic tradition from [the] 'Perennial' album. It felt good to push myself out of my comfort zone and create something with Benn that made sense to the song and evoked so many emotions. It gave us all such a buzz of energy and life. I grew up dancing in ensembles, so it was exhilarating being able to throw myself around with a bunch of talented and passionate dancers.
Were you concerned about how fans would react to the video?
When writing a song or working on a film clip, I always take into consideration what the audience will think and how they may react to it. For this song, I wanted to be real and honest, and push myself and the sound. So I felt the video needed just as much of a push.
The project is always evolving and as artists, it’s something we have to do to keep it all exciting and fresh. This next phase of Vera Blue sonically and visually is something that was always going to happen. It feels good to be able to express myself differently and more openly.
How are you feeling about the upcoming single tour with Alex The Astronaut?
I’m so pumped. I love Alex and everything she is as a human and an artist. It’s going to be a special tour going to some places and venues we haven’t yet visited.
Can you tell us what the live shows will be like in terms of visual production?
We are still working on it, but I am feeling really good about it seeing it all come together.
What's the biggest change you've seen in yourself since releasing music as Vera Blue?
I think the main change has been finding the comfort in vulnerability and honesty. People are able to make your story their own and feel connected. It makes me feel like I’m not alone. With this music I feel so much freedom.
You'll be appearing at Falls Festival this year as well; can we expect anything extra special from your performance?
Falls is going to be a great time! Really pumped to perform there doing my own set. My friends Slumberjack invited me to join them to sing the year before last, which was so much fun. It’ll be great to do my own set.
What's the next creative step for Vera Blue?
At the moment just exploring new sounds and vibes, pushing the project in new directions and having fun along the way. I love what I do and I love so much that I get to share it.
