Playlist: Jack Cronin

What’s the best music video you’ve seen recently and why?

Charli XCX - 360 Directed by Aidan Zamiri was a major highlight for me recently. Coming off the heels of her Von Dutch music video directed by TORSO, which featured her dancing on a plane at Charles De Gaulle, 360 continues to exude and embody an attitude that later inspired the term "Brat Summer."

This video captures, better than most, how to satirise and take ownership of public opinion. Before the song begins, there's a scene where a council of “Hot Internet Girls” must decide who will be next in line for the title, before Charli can perform. It’s silly, disarming, and, honestly, not far off from the vibe many of these women project, at least according to their legion of internet fans.

The performance segment of the video perfectly fits the description laid out by the pantheon: “hot in a scary way” with a certain je ne sais quoi. It’s funny, glamorous, and unapologetically Brat.

What’s the first music video you remember being impressed by?

The White Stripes - The Denial Twist, directed by Michel Gondry. It was packed with fun practical and digital effects. 

If “creating mythology and inspiring behaviour” is one end of the music video spectrum, this one hits the opposite side, delivering pure, mind-blowing coolness. So much eye candy and so many surprises, it’s just plain fun.

And what’s your all-time favourite music video?

Shooting from the hip, it’s either Daft Punk - Around the World, directed by Michel Gondry, Jamiroquai - Virtual Insanity, directed by Jonathan Glazer, or, more recently, Justice - New Lands from Canada.

What other directors/artists do you look to for inspiration?

If you haven’t already noticed, I’m a big fan of Michel Gondry. But I always think the best ideas come from other media beyond the one you're working in. Right now, I keep my ear to the ground on TikTok and Instagram. I also stay plugged into Chicago’s music, visual art, and film production communities. Inspiring artists are often closer than you think! And community is so important!!

What are you listening to at the moment?

I’m listening to the soundtrack of the movie I Saw The TV Glow, directed by Jane Schoenbrun, Remi Wolf’s new album Big Ideas, and just getting into Baltimore musician Nourished by Time’s discography.

What’s your favourite bit of tech, whether for professional or personal use?

Resolume Arena / Avenue (there’s a free demo of both). Although it's primarily for stage visuals, it's an excellent tool for building effects you can use in your videos.

What artist(s) would you most like to work with and why?

Julio Torres the writer, comedian, actor, or just "Julio," if you’ve seen his new show Fantasmas on MAX. He’s such a smart and bold artist, and someone I aspire to be like.

Musically, my heart remains in Chicago. My hope for my career is to continue contributing to the local music scene. Also, Moses Sumney, he’s just so cool.

How do you feel the promo industry has changed since you started in it?

I’m relatively new to the music video game, so I’ll speak to my experience from when I first started watching music videos on MTV and VH1 before school every morning.

In my lifetime, I’ve seen the landscape change completely. Technological advancements have brought both joy and challenges. Artists have more opportunities to break into fame via social media. But because of streaming services and the compensation rates, I’ve seen musicians with millions of streams return to their day jobs after their tours are over. I can’t help but wonder what it would look like if people still had to buy CDs to listen to them, or what that would mean for their music video budgets.