Earlier this summer, on-the-rise country-inspired singer/songwriter Hailey Whitters shared the cinematic clip for her latest single ‘Jance At The Hotel Bar’ with the visual perfectly bringing the song’s stellar lyrical story to life thanks to the incredible treatment.
Here we speak exclusively to Hailey Whitters to find out more about how the official video came to be:
Congratulations on the release of the official ‘Janice At The Hotel Bar’ music video, how are you finding the response so far?
The response has been heartfelt and enriching. Everyone keeps sharing the stories of “their Janice” with me and it makes me feel like this message was meant to be something so much bigger than just a simple song. It’s been very cool to see.
How did you and the team decide on the video’s treatment?
The treatment was all Erica (Silverman) and she couldn’t have executed it more perfectly. Harper [Smith] and I did feel strongly that the video needed to have somewhat of a feminine nature throughout – given that this story was told from a female perspective, we wanted it to feel that way visually as well.
What are you hoping your fans take away from this visual?
I hope it makes them feel something…. I hope that it makes them feel warm and sentimental towards the women that came before them.
How does it feel to be sharing a music video whilst we are in semi lockdown?
A little strange.. the response has still felt very big. But I will say the making of this video during lockdown was probably the most bizarre. The day we were shooting everyone had on masks… I had on a face shield. It felt weird to be getting intimate and “into character” one minute and then when cameras were off, be six feet apart with face masks on. Everyone was a rockstar about it though, and I think it was required for everyone to feel safe and comfortable on set. I wish I could have hugged the woman that played Janice though.
What are your ambitions and goals for this video?
I want this video to be one that people keep coming back to for years. I hope both aesthetically and visually viewers can feel the warmth and thought that went into it. This song is incredibly special to me, and we wanted the video to feel equally as special. I hope viewers can pick up on that.
Are you a fan of the official ‘Janice At The Hotel Bar’ video from Hailey Whitters? Let us know your thoughts across social media and in the comments below!