The Artist Explains: LIJO - 'Sometimes I Want Rain'
Ahead of a run of UK tour dates, LIJO talks to us about the visuals for her eccentric pop song, ‘Sometimes I Want Rain’ which explores the light and dark sides of our personalities.
Where was the video for 'Sometimes I Want Rain' filmed?
It was shot in a film studio in Utrecht where using any form of liquid was strictly prohibited (we had to drink our coffees outside).
How does the video connect with the song?
There are some lyrical connections - we do visualize a couple of things quite literally, like the rain and the park. But mostly it’s the bigger picture we tried to capture. For ‘Sometimes I Want Rain’, it’s the question: how well do you think you know me, and: how well do I think I know myself? I’m quite fascinated by the image people have of themselves and how they act while trying to live up to it.
Could you tell us about the ideas/ themes/ imagery used?
The balance between living up to that image and revealing who you truly are is a theme that I keep coming back to in my recent work. Being a doll in a box (an idea Doron Tempert, the videographer came up with), the hysterical picnic in the park and the model that’s sick of acting all pretty - it all comes down to flaws in the perfection and being stuck in a role. The darker scenes visualize the darker side of people. All of the characters in the video show a part of me, and by allowing them all to exists I believe you come closest to who you really are.
Do you have any behind the scenes stories you can share with us?
The water scene was the hardest one, and not only because we weren’t allowed to use it in the studio and had to sneak around with buckets and towels. We used a ladder and poured the water down from high up while aiming for a small tub on the floor (that we of course missed). Then I was wearing this costume made from crêpe paper that didn’t only stick to my body once wet (which meant we only had one chance to get the shot right) but also left black stains all over me that wouldn’t come off. I drove home looking like a chimney sweeper and my hands were black for days.
What do you hope people take away from watching the video?
If there's anything I hope people would get from watching this, it would be accepting that there are so many sides to yourself and that there are times when some of them show more than others. It’s kind of like a projector; what you see depends on the slides you put in to influence the light, but that light itself remains the same. All those sides are you. You don’t have to choose between them - and you definitely don’t have to believe the people who think they can choose one for you.
Interview feature by Karla Harris
UK Tour Dates
27/04 The Gladstone Arms // LONDON (UK)
29/04 Edge of the Wedge // PORTSMOUTH (UK)
01/05 The Richmond Bar // BRIGHTON (UK)
03/05 Luna Lounge // LONDON (UK)