Get your crayons ready! Meg Myers remake of Kate Bush’s 1985 Running Up That Hill takes the popular craze of colouring-in to new levels, and some are more strangely inventive than you can ever imagine….spider-man swooping above petals that are laughing, crying, and wanting a taco bell? Having an effect like a flip-book, Myers breath-taking music video turns the pre-recorded live-action into a series of crayon animated stills.
In total, 2,130 school children took part in colouring the images, adding as mentioned some of their own additions to the animated stills. But due to the speed of these images any “additions” are hard to spot, but hitting the space bar in random places will reward any viewer. Meanwhile the story of the video is about transformation, with Myers climbing up a plant while dressed in stripes, reminiscent of a caterpillar before building her cocoon and transforming into a butterfly. This winged creation now having some kick-ass-cartwheel-martial-art-skills that speak of someone ready to fight for life, before soaring off higher and higher till reaching the stars where the video first began.
This self-made transformation mirrors Myers’ own life; having grown up in a Jehovah household that held strong limitations on what music could or could not be listened to. But at nineteen she moved out and began an explorative music career. The music video of Running Up That Hill showing the power of being yourself and choosing where it takes you. Its lyrics talking off the struggles of love, and the differences between one another – and wishing how you could see through their eyes; experience their view; understand them and in turn more about yourself. But how in the end this is impossible.
A pop sensation, Running Up That Hill has been redone with multiple covers, however Meg Myers voice brings a freshness and new dimension to the song. Not to mention the video has definitely banned the phrase “colour between the lines” and rightly so, the children adding their own imagination and defining where to colour-in. Interestingly Myers and video director Jo Roy, (in partnership with one of the schools; non-profit Heart of Los Angeles School [HOLA]), also taught animation classes to the students. The final results being included in the video.
In the video Myers’ movement is of real-time playback, creating a living-breathing dimension to the music. This was achieved from using live-footage of Myers climbing scaffolding, to wearing wires and harnesses, which were then green-screened out and replaced with a blank background or animation drawings such as the stem of a plant. Adding to the black and white sharpness of the stills, the costume and make-up department used defining lines of contrast and an almost punk-graphic look on Myers’ face and body. The children then being presented with the colourless images to fill-in. It works so simply, yet the effect is lasting.
Described as a rock-pop-alternative, Myers’ voice has a soft and enticing lilt to it, like being ushered into a room. Debuting with her full-album Sorry in 2015 her voice has a pure, mature tone that’s often multi-layered. Her work is introspective and in this it’s very human; playing between the good and bad aspects of life. Viewed by some as treading closer to darker emotions, Myers’ later work has a lighter aspect, but equally meaningful.
Other songs by Meg Myers we love:
- Any Way You Wanna Love (2020 – Thank U 4 Taking Me 2 the Disco [EP])
- The Underground (2020 – Thank U 4 Taking Me 2 the Disco [EP])
- Constant (2018 – Take Me to the Disco)
- Little Black Death (2018 – Take Me to the Disco)
- Tourniquet (2018 – Take Me to the Disco)
- Lemon Eyes (2015 – Sorry)
- Motel (2015 – Sorry)
- The Morning After (2015 – Sorry)
Other artists you might like:
- MS MR
- Ruelle
- Torres
- Zella Day
