Opinion South Africa

Chad Saaiman, Byron Clarke release debut videos

Recently I had the privilege to attend the launch of not one, but two music videos. That of Chad Saaiman and Byron Clarke, who were both SAMA-nominated artists in 2009 and 2010 respectively. Saaiman's first single, Thinking About You off his second album The Flight, which is to be released in the near future and Clarke's The Rain from his debut album was launched at Living Room in Cape Town.

Both of these artists are signed to StereoType Records, which started in 2008 as a movement to use music as a medium for change. The videos were shot at various locations in Cape Town by Calibur Films.

Keeping it Motown

The video for Thinking About You tells a simple story of someone thinking about someone else. Saaiman wrote the song after working with a prominent South African artist whose girlfriend was quite a well-known model, and wondered what it would feel like not having that special someone around you as often as he would have liked to.

The video was recorded in the style of Motown, which happens to be the feel of the song as well, keeping it popular. The band which plays with Chad is the same band that features in the video.

The video features artists Byron Clarke, Keeno Lee, LLoyd Jansen, Jarrad who are all signed to StereoType Records, as well as Nathan Paulse of Ajax Cape Town, Hectic 9 presenter Danine Naidoo and former SA Idols finalist, Matthew Moolman. The lead lady is played by model, Gabriella Davids who featured in the South African Sports Illustrated Swimwear Edition 2008.

Cape Town based songwriter and artist, Byron Clarke's video for The Rain, his biggest single yet off his debut album, Self Inflicted, symbolises a transitional phase of destructiveness that he went through before becoming a full-time musician. The album is full of honesty in lyrics and content. The Rain and his first single, In The Grey are on high rotation on radio stations nationwide.

The video, being his very first shoot was also shot in Cape Town, and the video is basically about being at one space and wanting to be at another. Shot in shades of black and white, Byron and model Alison Petersen confront one another about a misunderstood situation.

Byron finds it pivotal in the music industry for an artist to produce music videos, in order for the audience and fans to put a face to the voice.

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