Exclusive Interview
Tom Grennan’s Breathtaking ‘This Is The Place’ Video Was Born Out Of ‘Frustration’ Over A Breakup
There’s heartbreak behind the beauty of Tom Grennan’s ‘This Is The Place.’ He reveals how the video shows why love can be both ‘amazing’ and painful.
Though Tom Grennan starts out in a dismal, dusty-grey bedroom at the start of “This Is The Place,” he doesn’t stay there for long. The British singer-songwriter’s new eye-catching visual, dropping Jan. 24, sees him walk to the ends of the earth to get away from the pain of a broken heart. From the crashing waves of a gorgeous beach to the top of a desert sand dune to an abandoned city’s highway, Tom puts miles under his feet – but no matter where he goes, he can’t get away. Haunted by his memories and racked with anguish, Tom tries to find the place “that I come to forget you” during those nights he “drink(s) to regret you.”
The visuals in the video are compelling, matched by the incredible strength within Tom’s voice. The song captures the cavernous loneliness that swallows a heart after it’s been broken. With booming production and Tom’s heartfelt lyrics, “This Is The Place” roars. It marks his first new music since his 2018 debut and is an incredible return.
Tom spoke with HollywoodLife over email about the video, the inspiration behind the song, and what fans can expect from this incredible voice in the coming year.
HollywoodLife: The video for “This Is The Place” is very clever in how it depicts loneliness after a breakup. You’re entirely alone throughout the videos, save for those parts when you’re reliving memories. How did you come up with the concept for this eye-catching visual?
Tom: Honestly, it was a reflection of how I was feeling when I was going through a breakup. I think people deal with breakups in their own way, and at the time the song was written, this is how I was feeling. So, with the video, I wanted to show a journey where I was alone and trying to figure out what I really wanted and how to be me again.
The video sees you walk across a sand dune in the desert, down an empty stretch of city highway, across a gorgeous beach and on top of a mountain. Out of all of these breathtaking locales, which one was your favorite to shoot at?
I know it’s crazy. The locations blew me away. Hats off to Thomas James, the director, and his team for finding them! But honestly, the sand dunes were my favorite. It felt like I was on Mars. It was so hot, and walking through the sand gave me a full-on leg and bum work out – but that was my favorite for sure.
The video is as powerful as the song, which aptly describes the anguish of life after a breakup. What was the inspiration behind the song?
The inspiration was the frustration of love and how it can be the most amazing thing, but also the hardest. It’s about the ups and downs of a relationship, which I was going through at the time. It’s really about having a place to escape the chaos and find a calm, thinking space.
This song is the first new material since your debut album, Lighting Matches. What can we expect from you in 2020?
I’m not giving the album name out just yet – aha — but honestly, this second album feels like my baby. It’s a very honest album, which basically says I’ve realized I might have been the problem, and it’s an “I’m sorry” letter. It’s not me feeling sorry for myself though — it’s got backbone! I’m so happy with it and so excited for people to hear it.
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“This Is The Place” is out now.
