the return of LA’s rising star and one-to-watch, Iyla, with the gorgeous official video for her song “Strings,” a fan favorite taken from her powerful 7-track EP ‘OTHER WAYS TO VENT’ (3T Entertainment/Astra Velum/EMPIRE).
The playful video for “Strings,” premiered earlier today on Refinery 29, was directed by longtime collaborator, Patrick “Embryo” Tapu, with styling by Savannah Baker and Grace Butler and choreography from Janelle Ginestra. Transporting viewers into an eye-popping puppet show, complete with colorful costumes and elaborate choreography, the video sees Iyla bring the lyrics to life.
Speaking about the new video, Iyla reveals, “In creating both the song and visual for ‘Strings,’ I wanted the viewer to be transported to the all too familiar cycle of going back to someone after you cut ties. In this case, a bizarre land of theater puppets, where heart strings are being pulled in every direction under the grasp of lust and love.”
“Strings,” which MTV hailed as a “standout” cut from the EP, lauding its “skittering, schizophrenic production,” over which “she both floats with airy consideration and dives into rage-by-the-syllable sass” features on Iyla‘s sophomore EP, OTHER WAYS TO VENT, which is an effortless offering of dark anti-pop and luxurious R&B moments, matched with her passion for enigmatic storytelling.
The EP also includes highlights such as “Tattoo Tears,” which was praised by E! Online as an “excellent pop/r&b hybrid,” “Bad Side“, which Cosmopolitan included on their list of ‘Best Songs of the Summer’ and the EP’s lead single, “CASH RULES,” featuring hip-hop heavyweight Method Man. Like her impressive and critically acclaimed 2018 debut, War + Raindrops, ‘OTHER WAYS TO VENT’ was helmed by Iyla and her longtime collaborator and co-producer, Kadis. Watch the video for “Cash Rules“, directed and styled by long time creative collaborators, Embryo and Brookelyn Styles
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