Though it was shot before everyone became a shut-in following the worldwide COVID-19 outbreak, The Mowgli’s new music video might be a perfect example of art in the age of coronavirus. In the visual, singers Katie Jayne Earl and Joshua Hogan contemplate eternity while getting freaky on the streets of L.A. It’s a lovely little trippy slice of modern pop psychedelia, a punk rock showcase of DIY spirit, a video that matches the mesmerizing tone of the track. Perhaps the most ‘far out’ aspect is that it was all captured on a cell phone.
“The music video for ‘Weight On Me’ was shot entirely on an iPhone 11 with a budget of 0 dollars,” the band tells HollywoodLife in a statement. “Filmed over a day exploring the various streets of Los Angeles, we wanted to capture the darker, moody energy of the song through psychedelic filters and guerrilla like camera techniques. Shot, directed and edited by [our] bands drummer Andy Warren, and formulated with the help of singers Josh Hogan and Katie Earl, we hope you enjoy this journey off the beaten path you might come to usually expect from The Mowgli’s.”
Formed in 2010, the Los Angeles-based collective has been described as blending the pop/folk traditions of Laurel Canyon (think The Byrds and Joni Mitchell) and blends them with modern indie-pop’s sound. Since releasing its first full-length studio debut in 2012, the band has traveled the world, playing everywhere from the largest outdoor festivals to warehouse parties to the stage of late-night television shows.
“I think tapping into the resilience to keep going when it seems like it’s a bad idea has been the biggest struggle, but we have somehow managed to do it,” singer Kate Jayne Earl told Atwood Magazine when discussing the band’s tenth anniversary. “There have been endless obstacles over the course of our career, and a lot of times, quitting seemed like a good idea. Believe it or not, the music industry isn’t all private jets and penthouse suites. We work really, really hard, year-round and sometimes, when we are home, we still have to dog sit or pick up shifts to make rent. The highs are high, and the lows are low… constantly reminding ourselves that we do this because we love to do it, we love music, we love our fans and we don’t have a boss… remembering all of that when the chips are down can be hard, but it’s as important as any other part of this job.”
“Music brings people together, into shared spaces,” she adds, “whether that be a concert or a nightclub, and sharing yourself on songs allows people who listen to feel less alone in their personal experiences. Songs can travel all around the world and reach more people than I alone ever could. I think that’s powerful.”