A fresh mix of electronic rock with a few drops of synth pop are the secret ingredients of the Vancouver-based band, OurGlassZoo. In 2022, they released their album, Aftermath, which included the single “Free” in collaboration with JUNO-award winning hip-hop artist Prevail (Swollen Members). The track was remixed by producer KutMasta Kurt (Linkin Park, Beastie Boys) and features hip-hop legend Moka Only.

This all-star team has come together again for “Free Remix” with a catchy hook, a retro vibe and a powerful message about equality that encourages freeing yourself from stereotypes and moving forward as one. OurGlassZoo has been nominated for, and won, multiple international Music Video Awards (Munich Music Video Awards, The Berlin Short Film Festival, Rome Music Video Awards, Vancouver Independent Film Festival, Prague Music Video Awards).

We caught up with the group, below!

1.    Tell us the story of this song, why did you choose to visualize this song specifically? 

The central theme behind ‘Free’ is equality. It is a subject matter that the whole team was passionate about and tackled in a playful manner while still giving it a lot of meaning.

2.    What was the inspiration behind this video(visuals, storyline, etc.)? 

As the hook of the song bridges the story, the hip hop lyrics were illustrated through engaging visual metaphors. Directors Diego Lara & Josias Tschanz worked with local graphic artist / illustrator Euan Murphy and editor David Balista to create a homage retro feel to the 80s & 90s. The grainy / washed out color grade adds to that vision.

3.    What was the process of making this video?

The video was shot at Cineworks studio in Vancouver. Four cameras were mounted on a rig and recorded at different focal lengths. The performers & extras stood on a turntable-like platform that was motorized and was able to spin them around 360 degrees while the camera rig stayed locked. This method added a unique sense of movement to the performance.

Here is a behind the scenes video that includes interviews with the directors as well as Juno Award winning Hip Hop artists Prevail & Moka Only.

Calgary’s Kayla Williams is a yacht-pop songstress who pays homage to ’70s soft rock royalty, such as TOTO, Steely Dan, Hall & Oates, and the Doobie Brothers. A seasoned musician, Williams adds her bold feminine flair to the genre, delivering a positivity-forward, feel-good throwback tribute with a glittery, vibrant energy.

“Come Close” is a summer anthem! I wanted to write a really upbeat, catchy and danceable tune with a retro feel but through a pop filter. Lyrically it’s about those good chemicals you get flooded with when someone you’re into comes close. It’s lovey dovey, flirty and one of the most feel-good songs I’ve ever written.

We caught up with Kayla below:

1. Tell us the story of this song, why did you choose to visualize this song specifically?  

This song is about that new feeling when you meet someone and it’s all you think about whether they’re around or not, it’s light and fun and flirty! Musically, it’s what I call yacht-pop, it’s inspired by the soft ’70s yacht-rock royalty like Steely Dan, Boz Scaggs, Hall & Oates etc. but put through a pop filter with a feminine twist.  I wanted a visual because it’s probably the most up-tempo, danceable song I’ve ever written/recorded and I thought having a light, colourful, retro inspired and choreographed video would help share my vision of this music! 

2.What was the inspiration behind this video(visuals, storyline, etc.)?  I wanted to bring my album art to life which was all pink and blue hues, so we had blue & pink palm leaves and disco balls just like the artwork. I reference in the song that even when I’m hanging with my friends I’m thinking of this person who I fancy, so I wanted a bunch of girls around me in the video and I wanted us to be having fun and dancing!

3.What was the process of making this video? 
Despite how playful and fun the video looks, and it was playful and fun to create, it was also one of the hardest video shoots for most of us! I was coming down with a cold and had a red puffy nose we had to fix and you know glassy eyes/headache just not feeling hot. Another girl, Meg who choreographed the dance, thought she had food poisoning, so she kept running off to be sick and then laying in the corner of the room and yet had a smile on her face in every shot (the next day she was actually in the hospital on IV!). We figured out that rolling disco balls around on the ground is not safe, one girl sliced her foot on a broken off disco shard and we had to get out a first aid kit and clean blood off the set fabric- and on top of all of that the shoot lasted from 11am one day until almost 2:30 am the next! So to sat it was an intense shoot is an understatement BUT everyone really showed up and gave it their all, it turned out beautifully and now we can all celebrate and laugh about the chaos