Following a successful 2018, Nuela Charles is ready for an even bigger 2019. This past October, she released her third EP, Distant Danger, which brought us the singles "Do It Right" and "Troublemaker." Now the Canadian soul siren returns to SoulBounce with another world premiere for the music video for her latest single "Long Way Down."
Nuela describes “Long Way Down” as "a modern take on the old chain-gang songs," and the track does have both a classic and a cinematic sound thanks to wailing guitars, piano, live strings and horns. That cinematic feel carries over into the music video directed by Brock Davis Mitchell.
As Charles begins "Long Way Down," she sings, "I've got a story I can tell," and we're introduced to a motley cast of characters in the film noir-inspired visual. As the story unfolds, Mitchell's camera focuses on a sheriff, a businessman and a young woman. They are all seen together in a motel bar, but something is clearly awry, especially with the sheriff who is under the influence of something as he falls and stumbles about. The young woman plays the role of a femme fatale who uses her powers of seduction on both men. Nuela makes an appearance in the video as well. At first, she appears to be an innocent party staying in the same motel, seemingly keeping to herself in her room, but she's later seen behind the bar and is revealed to play a surprising role toward the videos' end.
There's dramatic lighting and striking imagery, including a slithering snake, throughout to add to the darkness of the visual, which was a deliberate move by the director. "While making the video for 'Long Way Down,' it was important to encapsulate the grittiness and mystique that the song represented," Brock shared with us about the clip. "We focussed on building imagery that felt uncomfortable and sickly, yet intriguing...that brought the story of these three lost souls to life."
Watch SoulBounce's exclusive world premiere of "Long Way Down," and keep your eyes and ears on Nuela Charles. If you haven't listened to Distant Danger yet, be sure to check it out now on SoundCloud or Spotify.
