Sufjan Stevens recruited “Renegade” dance creator Jalaiah Harmon to star in and choreograph his new music video “Video Game” which will appear on his forthcoming eighth studio album, The Ascension.
The album, Stevens’ highly-anticipated follow-up to 2015’s Carrie & Lowell, is set to be released on Sept. 25 via Asthmatic Kitty Records.
“It’s unfortunate that we live in a society where the value of people is quantified by likes, followers, listeners and views,” said Stevens in a statement. “So many people are seeking attention for the wrong reasons. I think we should all be doing our best work without looking for accolades or seeking reward.
“The main takeaway of ‘Video Game’ for me is: your worth (invaluable) should never be based on other people’s approval (ephemeral). Just be yourself. Keep it real. Keep it moving. Do all things with absolute purity, love and joy. And always do your best.”
Stevens goes on to explain that he thought it would be a perfect pairing to ask Harmon to star in “a dance video about not wanting to star in a dance video.” Harmon agreed and the result is a hypnotic stop at the crossroads of virtual and human existence.
“This was my first time being asked to create choreo for a whole song,” said Harmon. “So I was a little nervous in the beginning, but once I really broke the song into parts and listened to the lyrics over and over, I just put moves together that connected to the words and felt natural for me to do. I think I’m still really trying to get used to this kind of success, so I can’t really define it just yet. I just know that when you work hard and you treat others with kindness and fairness, good things come back to you.”
Check out the video for “Video Game” below and click here to pre-order The Ascension. More information can be found at Sufjan.com.