Q&A: Cecilia James Reflects On Heartbreak with Powerful "Different Ground" Music Video

 

☆ BY HAZEL RAIN ☆

 
 

FOLLOWING THE RELEASE OF HER DEBUT EP DIFFERENT GROUND THIS SUMMER - Santa Barbara-based musician Cecilia James has created a grungy, black and white music video for the title track. This is her first video since the EP’s release, although there are music videos for the tracks “My Name Is To Call” and “Pretty In Your Eyes” as well, which came out earlier this year.

“Different Ground” is a unique expression of what it means to feel far away from a person. Written about heartbreak, the song has changed in meaning through the years, and the music video adds a powerful visual element to an already emotionally impactful song. It brings a sense of completion to the musical project as a whole, with rich vocals, intense imagery, and thoughtful writing about relationships tied together into something wonderful.

Read below to find out more about the meaning of the song and music video below. 

LUNA: When did you write “Different Ground”? How has its meaning shifted since you wrote it?

JAMES: The song dates back to 2016; that’s the earliest voice memo I have found. It sat around in the ether of my phone for a few years until I revisited it in 2018. The song started after one relationship ended (what I had considered my first heartbreak) and it seemed to resonate even more, as I was experiencing yet another even bigger heartbreak years later. 

The meaning certainly shifted, especially because this song was in the works for a few years and not just written in one sitting. I wrote it in the midst of a young and kind of naive heartbreak; it was supposed to be a sad love song. Now that it’s been so long and I have grown up a lot, I see it as an anthem for reflecting on the loss of a deep love and accepting that change. 

LUNA: What inspired you to choose to make “Different Ground”' the title and last track of your EP?

JAMES: “Different Ground” was the most powerful song on the track list. The other songs were very dreamy and nostalgic, but this song just felt very sure of itself. It felt like a good way to proclaim that despite being kind of lost in memories of past loves, I was going to move forward. I see the song as the resolution to all the other songs’ themes, and therefore a fitting title for the overall project. 

LUNA: What is the symbolism of the video being in black and white, and the distortion effects?

JAMES: This song has alternative, grungy undertones and when working with the director, L. Coats, we both immediately saw a specific vision. Black and white imagery, with lots of atmospheric movement; very reminiscent of film noir and 90s grunge aesthetics. The distortion effects were inspired by the latter. The movement and distortion reflect a constant shifting and changing. 

I was also insistent on black and white because my first video for the song “My Name Is To Call” was shot in black and white on Super 8. The second video was for the song “Pretty In Your Eyes” and was very color focused. It felt right that this video would tie it all back to the first one in some way. 

LUNA: How does the “Different Ground” music video convey the themes you had in mind when writing the song?

JAMES: Love can be so uncertain and I think this music video gives off feelings of instability and unease. The shots are very quick, unclear of what will happen next. For me, that's how the two relationships that this song was about felt like. 

LUNA: What was your favorite part of creating the video?

JAMES: The filming process was really fun; we shot it all in a day. L. Coats had such a solid vision, so it made it easy for me to just play around in front of the camera and not worry so much about the result. I had some friends play the “roles” of bandmates and it was very cool to have a band to bounce energy off of, as I have primarily been a solo artist. 

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