The single cover artwork for Jeana Healy, professionally known as Viddy, and her new song "Husband Appetite" was a creative endeavour that I was commissioned to create. As the director of the accompanying music video, Viddy expressed her desire to depart from her traditional indie sound and venture into a more pop-indie sound for this song and her upcoming EP. In response, I proposed a complete 360-degree turn in creative direction from her previous single artworks and music videos, which typically featured relaxed, polaroid-style shots focusing on outfit styling and props. Instead, I envisioned a highly polished, heavily art-directed aesthetic using green screen technology and photo compositing to construct a campy, hyper-real, and almost sickly colourful atmosphere. The concept revolved around a fictional place called "Viddyland," a satirical parody of Hollywood.
The music video for Viddy's "Husband Appetite" drew inspiration from artists Petra Collins and David LaChapelle, as well as the capitalist nature of the Barbie brand and the upcoming Greta Gerwig Barbie movie. Influenced by Collins' portrayal of the female gaze and LaChapelle's parodies of celebrity culture, the video featured a satirical, hyperrealistic aesthetic. It critiqued consumerism in the pop industry and celebrated Viddy's entrance into the mainstream. The Barbie brand's capitalist approach, turning childhood dreams into endless products, served as a conceptual backdrop. The video explored themes of empowerment, critique, and the intersections of pop culture and personal aspirations.
The single artwork, which was shot on set and composited after early visuals of the video were finalised, reflects the same theme but is much clearer and more polished, reminiscent of single covers output by Viddy's pop-star peers but still maintains the dream-like stylisation of the video. The single artwork and video work well as a pair and make a real statement about Viddy's emergence into this space.
Director: Daniel Sutcliffe
Promotional Artwork: Daniel Sutcliffe
Styling: Amelia Hope
Videography: Java Kara-Howard
Editing, VFX and Grading: Daniel Sutcliffe