Playlist: Paola Morabito

What’s the best music video you’ve seen recently and why?

Ok I’m going to eventually answer, but there are a few things that have really captured my attention lately that have everything to do with music.  

This film The Legend of Kaspar Hauser (below) embraces an experimental music film genre and has the potential to be an idea for future platform for longer content creative for albums that musicians want to collaborate with film makers on. It's a film about music at its core. 

Also very recently, I was discussing my childhood obsession with Elvis and my musician friend Jack Ladder played me a Youtube video of his final performance singing Unchained Melody. It’s devastating to watch, it reminded me how much I respect musicians, especially for bearing their vulnerability for us on stage so many times in their careers.

In terms of traditional music videos I’ve seen in the past year, hmmm Lemonade left me a bit speechless at times.

What’s the first music video you remember being impressed by? 

When I was a wee little one MJ’s Thriller definitely got to me and still holds up as a brilliant Music Video.

And what’s your all-time favourite music video?

The two that come first to mind without Googling to spark my memory of what I love are Flying lotus – Until the quiet comes and Daft Punk – Da Funk.

Flying Lotus Until the Quiet

Daft Punk – Da Funk.

What other directors/artists do you look to for inspirational? 

So many but here are some of my favourite inspired people. 

Robert Bresson, Caravaggio Kathryn Bigelow, Jill Solaway, Shirin Neshat, Doris Lessing, Joan Didion, photographers like Mary Ellen, Letizzia Battaglia, Erykah Badu, Beyonce, Aretha Franklin, Tim Buckley, Patti Smith, PJ Harvery and Rumi.

What are you listening to at the moment? 

Music helps shape the way I see the world… and pulls me into my happy or reflective feelings. 

I’ll listen to everything from RnB to Moorish music to alpha and beta waves to help concentrate when I’m writing or in pre production. There’s a composer by the name of Rolf Kent who made an album called Zen Effect which is incredible for focusing the mind.  

I’ve been listening to Damn by Kendrick Lamar religiously. I love hip-hop, always have and always will. And now it seems like it’s the genre with the most freedom and flexibility. It can be anything it wants.  

I’ve also been listening to old Radio Head again, a cheeky Portishead revival once on a recent road trip, the first Sonic Youth album, The Durutti Column, the amazing Nicolas Jaar, Stevie Wonder, Olufar Aarnalds, Anton Ellis, Jack Ladder and the Dream Lander, Solange and Frank Ocean. Also love the playlist from the Tate Modern the curator put together for the Soul of a Nation show (below).

What’s your favourite bit of tech, whether for professional or personal use?  

My wireless headphones when I’m running. I’m also in love with a new analogue lens I recently purchased for my stills camera… delicious in every way.

What artist(s) would you most like to work with and why? 

Kendrick Lamar,  Jill Solaway, Silvia Calderoni and Nick Cave… their dedication to the kind of conversations they're having with the world is sexy… I like people who are able stand up and say what others cannot through their art. 

How do you feel the promo industry has changed since you started in it?

Well it definitely had more budget support when I started, but hey, money doesn’t always give you creative freedom. Also I think the interesting thing now is artists like Nick Cave, Beyonce, Florence and Solange and many others are doing more longer content music videos and artworks which I think is an interesting way to shape the way we make promos. 

via GIPHY

Music videos have had a resurgence of late; where do you see the industry being in five years’ time? 

I think the industry will continue to get more interesting but together more saturated. I think that with the amount of content online there will be more channels to house the work and there will more people making stuff. 

Tell us one thing about yourself that most people won’t know… 

I can do a Shirely Bassey impression of her singing the Transformers theme song.