Jodi Phillis – singer, songwriter and guitarist of Sydney’s 90s indie-pop darlings The Clouds returns with a new single and video You Are Loved, taken from her forthcoming, 6th solo album We Need to Be Free.
Expressing themes of transformation through pain and loss, universal and cosmic themes of love and transcendence and deeply human stories tracking her own internal journey, with We Need to Be Free and new single You Are Loved Jodi has created arguably her strongest work yet.
As the creator of classic Clouds songs like Hieronymus, Soul Eater and Bower of Bliss, The Dearhunters, Ivy and stand-out songs from her solo albums such as Becoming and Portobello Rd, it has long been apparent that Jodi Phillis has a fine ear for beguiling melodies and harmonies and is a writer of deeply poignant lyrics.
Today, Jodi Phillis follows her genre-defying muse wherever she leads, and while it has been a long journey travelled since the indie days of the 90s, her current music – with hints of chamber folk, psychedelia and melancholy pop – has a similar melodic sense and familiar sparkle, and as always, her mellifluous vocals shine front and centre.
“A dear friend, poet Martha Sear sent me a poem that she had written for a friend who was going through a rough time,” Jodi said of the track.
“As I read her magical words on the computer screen, a melody formed in my mind. Literally, the song came together in about 5 minutes. It was like a divine transmission.”
The video for You Are Loved was directed by Jodi’s friend, visual artist Derek Kreckler with the help of some other talented and skilful Illawarra creatives: Martin Fox (camera), Linda Luke (best gaffer and choreographer), and Quirine Van Nispen, Jodi’s good friend and partner in art, helped with the styling.
The video stars Todd (T.L. Johnston) as the lost youngster wandering the streets of Wollongong, with all its dreary car parks and shopping centre backstreets full of signs saying “don’t park here”, “don’t do this”, “don’t do that” etc. Todd finds solace at the sea shore, with the primal force of the ocean, giving them some kind of love and connection that is missing from the human world of rules and conditioning.
You Are Loved is out now.
Image: Tony Mott
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