VIDEO VOYAGEUR: 3 Q’S WITH GEORGE COLLINS

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George Collins is a multi-faceted artist whose music, writing, and creative endeavours reflect a life rich with experience and inspiration.

Hailing from Washington D.C., and now based in Prague, Collins has embarked on a musical journey that transcends traditional boundaries as he blends classic rock influences with contemporary themes.

Collins recently released his latest single, “Saving the Best for Last,” a standout track from the eagerly anticipated EP, “Songs for Grown-ups” set to be released this summer. This song serves as a powerful, upbeat anthem about the beauty and potential of aging inspired by musical legends such as George Harrison, Bruce Springsteen, Van Morrison, and Neil Diamond. Wrapping up the EP’s themes, it reflects on the passage of time and the wisdom gained through life’s experiences.

In this interview, Collins delves into the story behind “Saving the Best for Last.” He believes in the possibility of achieving one’s best work at any age, a sentiment that is passionately conveyed through his music.

We also explore the creative process behind the song’s captivating video, crafted by the talented Marta Vorontsova. Utilizing stock footage, AI images, and animation, the video beautifully illustrates the song’s themes and Collins’ vision. From conceptual discussions to iterative feedback, Collins describes how this collaboration brought his ideas to life in a visually stunning manner.

The official lyric video for “Saving the Best for Last” by George Collins is now available on YouTube here:

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

This was the last tune written for my second EP, “Songs for Grown-ups,” and I knew I wanted to end this collection with a positive, upbeat, exuberant anthem about getting better with age.

For this song I was inspired by the work of George Harrison, Bruce Springsteen, Van Morrison and Neil Diamond.

The song summarizes the themes explored in the previous tracks of the EP and reaches the hopeful conclusion that, as I continue getting older and enter a new phase of existence, I can bring all the lessons I’ve learned to bear to create a fulfilling and joyful later stage of life.

I have always believed that, no matter my age, my best days and best work lie ahead of me – and this song attempts to express that belief.

I have also been inspired by iconic artists who did some of their greatest work in their later years such as Bach, Beethoven, Yeats, Eliot, Monet, Matisse and Picasso – masters who can serve as models for us all by fusing youthful energy and passion with the wisdom and perspective of age.

Plus, the track absolutely rocks and is loaded with hooks, including a 1970s-style modulation to emphasize the “surprise” in the lyrics – one doesn’t hear many such modulations these days!

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

There were several key images I knew I wanted to focus on in the video to illustrate the themes of the song: confusing maps and road signs (“Figure out the way that I should go”), climbing mountains and overcoming other difficulties (“But I never lost faith in me and all that I could be”), couples working their way through difficulties (“It’s taken us a while to learn to smile”), older men finishing a race and winning trophies (“Here I am, better than ever”), older couples deeply in love and enjoying their Golden Years (“We’re gonna have fun in the days to come”), just to name a few.

3. What was the process of making this video?

I worked with an extremely talented artist named Marta Vorontsova (Instagram: @_imagikali_), who is specialized in creating music videos using stock footage, AI images, and animation techniques. She has produced many videos for me, which are all available on my YouTube channel (@GeorgeCollinsBand), and each one is unique. We had long discussions about the song and my wishes for the video, then she vastly improved on my original ideas with her brilliant, skillful and imaginative visual presentation. It was an iterative process: She would send me a draft, I would send her my comments, then back and forth until we got it just right and we were both happy with the results. “Saving the Best for Last” is an extremely important song for me, and I love how the video captures and beautifully expresses the deeply personal yet universal themes of this exuberant, inspiring song.