Brittany Howard’s Stay High will certainly leave you with a high of smiles. Her soothing voice and steady beat, merging in magic with director Kim Gehrig’s production of the music video; connecting sounds from Howard’s music to the video’s surrounding scenes e.g. clapping hands, check-out beeps and bells – all working to produce a video layered in effortless grace. The natural essence of Howard existing throughout her solo debut album; Jaime (2019), which is named in memoriam after Howard’s sister. However, the music (written after a road-trip around America) is very much about Howard, which is why it feels so personal and insightful, with each song inviting you to stop and listen to her.
When watching Stay High the first thing that you’ll notice is that it’s not Brittany Howard singing her song, but actor Terry Crews – miming it that is – whose broad shoulders are a juxtapose to the softness of the song, but that just makes it resonate more; everyone wants to take it easy, and though life maybe hard, we also get to enjoy and love the simple things in life.
In fact you can’t imagine anyone else but Crews doing this video, he fits so well to it, his energy matching the songs and he truly gives it all he can, as seen in his other lip-syncing roles such as Lip Sync Battle and his rendition of Vanessa Carlton’s A Thousand Miles. Crews clearly enjoys it, and I enjoy it all the more for this reason.
Unlike most songs, the xylophone is played to great use in Stay High with its simple notes standing out from the steady beats – the two working wonderfully together and with Howard’s range it’s like a rainbow of notes are collected for us to hear.
Due to Howard’s explosive voice and merging of styles; blues, alternative, rock, pop, it’s probably not surprising that she’s formed and led several bands in the past; Thunderbitch, Bermuda Triangle and most famously, Grammy-winning Alabama Shakes, before debuting her solo career in 2019. A leader in a new direction of music, she’s sure to inspire others to follow her footsteps.
Other songs by Brittany Howard we love:
- Baby (2019 – Jaime)
- Short and Sweet (2019 – Jaime)
- Tomorrow (2019 – Jaime)
- I Feel Free (Joy – Motion Picture, 2015)
Other artists you might like:
- Big Thief
- Black Pumas
- Paul & The Broken Bones
- Yola
