Playlist: Annie Ayres

What’s the best music video you’ve seen recently and why?

We recently shot a video for Jordy ft JME - Wonderkid. It was directed by Charlie Sarsfield and I loved watching Jordy, Charlie and Producer Tia Varnnard come together to work out just how much magic they could make in one day. I love it when you’re watching a shoot come together and the result is even stronger than you had imagined it would be; for me this video was absolutely one of those moments and I have it on a lot at home. Great tune, brilliant video, brilliant team.

A second one would be Noah Lee's video for 070 Shake - Black Dress. It looks like a real labour of love and the post work is brilliant. The visuals feel perfect for the sonics.

What’s the first music video you remember being impressed by?

Perhaps not the first but one that I often think about is Foo Fighters - The Pretender, directed by Sam Brown. 

I have always been drawn to videos that feel simple but unique and this video is entirely that. It’s one I always go back to when I need to feel inspired by really good video making.

And what’s your all-time favourite music video?

That’s so hard! There’s so much good work out there that feels iconic and very timeless. I have videos that I reference all the time and that I can watch over and over (and love more with every watch). 

To give you a few; Chet Faker - Gold, amazing choreography on rollerblades and a crazy end shot.

Desiree Dawson - Meet You at The Light is absolutely amazing. It makes me cry, but the story is so well told and it’s so beautifully shot. Amazing storytelling and the emotion really pours out of it.

Taylor Swift - Bad Blood directed by Joseph Khan will always be iconic - so nuts, a proper action movie!

What other directors/artists do you look to for inspiration?

Here in the UK we have seen some amazing directors making really interesting work. Hector Dockrill is brilliant, incredibly talented and unique with his ideas. I love how fearless Felix Brady is, he’s pushed virtual production into the music space in the UK (alongside the very brilliant Dom&Nic) and that’s been exciting to watch. FILFURY, who we rep, directed my favourite ever JHUS video. He blends live-action and design elements so well and his work always feels polished.

There’s some brilliant emerging talent that I am inspired by - we rep Gabriella Kingsley, Eleanor Hann and Balan Evans who are all directors that have bright futures ahead.

Lastly, I’m always inspired by brilliant female directors. Watching Dawn Shadforth work on Hurts - Turn Down The Lights made me want to work in the music video world forever. I’ll always be inspired by anything Ruth Hogben does too.

What are you listening to at the moment?

I’ve had Billie Eilish’s new album on repeat, I think it’s a really different body of work from her. I absolutely loved Mk.Gee’s project and I love kwn and Sasha Keable’s new work. Seeing amazing UK artists working together and making really credible sound is super exciting. 

I’m working with Hope Tala and her new project which is super exciting; we’re just commissioning her first video from the new music and there’s so much more to come. Definitely worth the listen once it’s out! 

I also think Elmiene is an outstanding artist. I was lucky enough to work with him right at the beginning of his career and to watch him grow into such a brilliant artist with such a unique sound has been a pleasure.

What’s your favourite bit of tech, whether for professional or personal use?

At Untold we’re looking further into wearable tech and VR and how this interacts with live music currently, so I’m spending a lot of time watching content on the Meta Quest and the Apple Vision Pro. You get to see really unique performances. It’s exciting to see the worlds of VR and music merge in the way that they are and I’m looking forward to seeing how far we can push those worlds.

What artist(s) would you most like to work with and why?

This question took me a really long time to answer but I think it’s probably Solange. A Seat At The Table was one of my favourite albums ever and it holds so many memories for me. You can see from all the visuals she created around the project that she’s a true artist and creative. I love the portraiture that plays such a huge part in everything she creates visually. She’s also just effortlessly cool isn’t she? She creates these moments in music, fashion and art that just stand out and I would love to be a part of that creative process.

How do you feel the promo industry has changed since you started in it?

I think the promo industry is constantly changing and we are seeing a more seismic shift in the music video world than I’ve ever seen before. Recently, with the influence of tiktok, alongside the way we all consume music now, is meaning that the value of the music video is being questioned. 

However, I don’t think they’ll ever not be important. They are important for creativity, they’re important for development of the artist, for PR and now more than ever they are incredibly important for brands. I am a huge ambassador for brands exploring the idea of working alongside musicians and emerging directors to make content that feels interesting and relevant. We are seeing incredible work being made when brands and artists are fully aligned - I think that only benefits everyone, most importantly the audiences they reach.