In her latest single ”Present,” producer, violinist and singer-songwriter, Illicit Ghost opened up about her struggles with anxiety.
During a recent interview with ECHO, Ghost shared that the new song is a “personal permanent reminder to myself, and to anyone who listens, to live in the moment.”
In collaboration with animator Betsy DelCiampo, Ghost worked to create a colorful rotoscoped video mirroring the song’s sentiment and how Illicit Ghost feels when she experiences anxiety. “Sometimes I get so lost in my head that I cannot notice what is happening right in front of me,” she explained.
Ghost was very involved in the video creation process. “I shot this video with a friend on my iPhone, in the woods, in the Catskills. I spliced it together on Premiere and sent it to an animator so that she could add some magical elements to the raw footage. The idea is that I’m in this beautiful forest, but I’m unable to appreciate the beauty around me because my mind is so clouded. In the video you will see these beautiful, bright animations of plants, leaves, butterflies and crystal-like objects that come to life and create this bizarre scene around me, but since I’m not ‘present’ I don’t notice it and I can’t enjoy it.”
Hidden objects and affirmations are interspersed throughout the video to engage viewers to appreciate.
Illicit Ghost hopes the song and the video, “gives hope to anyone who is struggling.” She wants her listeners to know “that you don’t have to go through it alone. Don’t be afraid to speak up if you need help.”
Fans can look forward to Illicit Ghost’s new single on October 26 and her upcoming EP, Present in February 2021.