Montreal-based producer Apashe has released a powerful new music video for “Lord & Master” from his 2020 Renaissance album, which remains one of the most successful non-major label album releases in the past year.
The video was directed by Apashe’s longtime friend and collaborator, Adrian Villagomez. It opens with young dancer Brontë Poire-Prest taking the stage. With a minimal amount of notes and direction, she is thrown onto the stage in front of an audience.
Screenshot from Apashe’s “Lord & Master” music video.
With such a small amount of preparation, her anxieties activate her fight-or-flight mode as she continues to battle for her life and career. Despite her forceful actions, she is continually portrayed as someone she’s not and the message of corporatization of art is effortlessly displayed.
It seems the monopoly-hungry corporation Apashe has depicted is Disney.
Screenshot from Apashe’s “Lord & Master” music video.
After her outstanding performance and battle for her life and career, she is immediately replaced by new talent. This spotlights the glaring issue in showbiz of either doing what you’re told or be shelved.
“This is the story of a young and innocent prodigious dancer, on the cusp of becoming a star,” said Apashe in a press release. “During the rehearsal of her first big public appearance, she abruptly realizes that what was meant to be a beautifully orchestrated performance was in fact just a huge money-making production that prioritized profit over art – without much care for the young star and thus shattering the whole vision she naively had of an industry she had once dreamed of becoming part of. She then decides to fight against it, hoping to make a difference in a world where art is a product controlled by immense inhuman forces.”
Screenshot from Apashe’s “Lord & Master” music video.
Villagomez previously worked with Apashe in his Bladerunner-style music video “Behind My Eyes.” They’ve worked on “Uebok (Gotta Run),” “Good News,” and “Majesty” together, which dates back to 2018. In April of 2020, he shared a documentary providing fans an inside look at the creation of Renaissance.
Apashe has also garnered a number of successes in the sync licensing world. His music has been featured in various mediums with Apple TV, like Deadliest Catch and Letterkenny, and video game trailers like EA NHL 21 and Ubisoft’s Just Dance 2021.
Apashe’s limited edition vinyl of Renaissance and exclusive merch sold out in minutes. The hoodies and baseball caps were in high demand. Now he has partnered with Los Angeles-based Electric Family to release a long-sleeve t-shirt and bracelet.
Apashe continues to send important messages through sonically pleasing and visually appealing music videos, and this video of “Lord & Master” is no exception. With Renaissance having been out for just under a year now, it has certainly started a renaissance.
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