“Save My Soul” is about addiction. Of all kinds. I wanted to convey the
feeling of powerlessness I've felt in my life in an uncomplicated way
and show a range of what it might look like for others who've been
there. Working with one of my best friends, Zelda Williams (director of
SMS), was a highlight of my 2015. We'd been talking about working
together for like 10 years! Because of the content of the song and the
way it touched us both, “Save My Soul” felt like the natural place for
us to finally collaborate.
A group of us young, crazy, creatives
drove out to the magical desert of Joshua Tree and got naked - most of
us emotionally, and a few literally. It was a safe space to be
vulnerable and free from judgment and the need to be/ look/ act
"perfect". Everyone who participated connected to the song and brought
their truth to the table.
We filmed this video about a month before
my father lost his decades long battle with addiction. His death
honestly felt like it came out of nowhere…and yet I had been mourning
him for years…if that makes any sense. I know all too well from seeing
it around me that the fight is not easy. It's every day. All consuming.
I'm not mad at my dad. I love him and I'm sad. He is my greatest
heartbreak. This song, which had always been personal to me, takes on
even deeper meaning now. "I try to run but it hurts every time I try...
Lord I try and I can't say no." Makes me think of the universal struggle
of seeking victory over the feeling of powerlessness to a situation, a
lover, a drug.
Losing my father at the end of last year and knowing
the propensity for addiction of all kinds that runs deep in my blood
from both sides makes it next-level important for me to LIVE - not just
be alive, but THRIVE in his honor. I can do this. And so can you. If
you're struggling, believe the only way OUT is THROUGH. Keep going.
Love, Jo.
P.S.
Thank you to the beautiful crazies who dedicated their time and energy
to come together and make this video possible. It wouldn't have happened
without you.
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