SURREY — Celebrated Surrey-based video director Stephano Barberis was behind the camera for a new clip featuring Canadian country-pop performer Jade Mya.
A filmed-in-Langley video for the singer’s uptempo “Dirt Covered Rhinestone,” the title track of her forthcoming sophomore album, was released this week.
“The track is both traditional and tongue-in-the-cheek at the same time,” the award-winning Barberis stated, “so I felt it would be appropriate to do something a bit campy/kitschy while not sacrificing the aesthetic integrity of the artist and the video.”
The Toronto-based Mya is an in-demand model and fitness personality who is “dedicated to social change and the rights of the LGBTQ community.”
Mya, 26, was born “intersex,” according to a recent story in the National Post, “which the National Health Service in the United Kingdom defines as a genetic ‘mix of male and female sexual characteristics.’ Doctors assigned her a gender and for several years she was known as a boy.”
Mya underwent gender assignment surgery as a teenager, more than a decade ago.
In the new music video, Mya is a huntress on the lookout for a man hunting a bear with a rifle. While holding a bedazzled axe, she delivers her lyrics of self-love and self-empowerment.
“The video resembles Mya’s strong and unique personality unlike other musicians in country music,” according to a press release. “Award-winning director Barberis portrayed Mya’s confidence in her ability to leave an impression as she does in the country music industry.”
Mya, meanwhile, says she’s “so excited to share the video with my fans. There’s been such a tremendous response to the track that we wanted to deliver a visual that was both fun and meaningful.”
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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