Nashville-based songwriter Ellen Starski delivers a beautiful folk-rock ode to the ups and downs of a relationship with her new video for “Missing You” from her debut solo album The Days When Peonies Prayed for the Ants. The combination of the black-and-white tone of the video with the title of the song sets up the expectation of heartbreak, but the video does more than that. It shows its viewers the stages of this couple’s relationship, allowing for a somber narrative that emphasizes the importance of emotion rather than what you see happening in front of you. Starski explains the ambiguity of the video, saying “there’s truly no message attached to the song, it’s there for an audience to take from it what they will.”
Starski’s thoughtful lyrics shine through the gloominess of the video, showing her ability to create something personal that truly expresses how she feels, and the viewer can feel that as well. It’s more than your typical sad music video, and Starski wanted to show “the rise and fall of [this] relationship that was more than just the traditional flashback scenes and performances that seem to be the trend.” As a result, “Missing You” is a sad yet powerful song with a video that depicts the reality of many people’s lives and relationships.
Check out the video here and keep up with Ellen Starski on her website.
