Most people didn’t see the release of Eiza Gonzalez’s new music video for “Liar Liar” (a song taken from her newest album, entitled “Liar Liar”) as a huge event. Coming from an indie band with no major label support, the video was basically considered an underground and avant-garde art project. The attention it got was mostly due to its low-budget and DIY (do-it-yourself) feel. But with a little bit of luck, the team behind the project managed to pull off something special. And what do we mean by special? Well, the music video was directed by Robert Pattinson (singer of the band, the Libertines), who happened to be in the neighborhood filming a movie. The video shows Eiza performing the song in a variety of stunningly artistic locations around London. We couldn’t resist sharing it with you, so you can see for yourself just how talented this artist is.
A Flawless Collaboration
For those of you who don’t know, Robert Pattinson is one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood. Best known for his role as “Edward Cullen” in the Twilight film series, the British actor has also appeared in several other high-profile projects. For instance, just this year he starred in the action movie, Babylon A.D. and will soon be seen in the futuristic thriller, The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Walks Like a Man. But despite his many cinematic accomplishments, it’s important to note that he’s never really dabbled in music. Sure, he’s recorded a few songs here and there, but he’s never actually taken the time to write and produce his own music. Until now.
That’s because now he has. Following the release of the “Liar Liar” video, Pattinson finally decided to take the time to step out of his comfort zone and give it a go. And what do you know? He pulled it off. The song is not only one of the best he’s ever written, but it’s also one of the most personal songs as well. According to him, it’s a letter to his younger self. Written in first person, the song touches on several themes, including lust, regret, and growing up. It also features several vocal duets, with Pattinson trading verses with himself, as if he’s writing a letter to someone he cares about deeply.
While “Liar Liar” is definitely a keeper and one of the best songs he’s ever written, it’s not the only gem on Eiza Gonzalez’s new album. In fact, the entire thing is packed with bangers, as the kids would say. We could literally go on an album-by-album basis and list all the highlights, but let’s just say that this is an album that every fan of classic alternative rock and indie music should listen to. Simply put, it’s a triumph.
A Timeless Style
The main reason why we cited London as the location for Eiza Gonzalez’s video shoot is because of the beautiful sunsets the city has to offer. But it’s not just about the location, it’s about the style as well. We all know that Hollywood is one of the main centers for style inspiration in the world, so it’s no surprise that Eiza borrowed a lot from Hollywood for her video. But she didn’t just steal the outfits, she also stole the attitude. The video director, Joe Anderson, even said that he wanted the performances to feel like “Al Pacino directing Diane Arbus’s photos,” which is quite an apt statement. In reality, the band member even admitted to having watched several of Pacino’s films, in particular, his portrayal of “Godfather” Al Pacino. And while Eiza isn’t exactly a young version of Al Pacino, she does have a certain resemblance to the actor who was only 60 years old at the time of the shooting.
It’s clear that this style inspiration didn’t just spring from nowhere. This is a woman who studied fashion design in London and then worked in Paris for several designers, including Yves Saint Laurent. It was there that she fell in love with French haute-couture, met a French photographer, and ultimately decided to move to Paris to pursue her dream of becoming a fashion photographer. And from the looks of it, she’s done just that, having worked for French fashion houses, such as Dior and Chanel, in addition to photographing celebrities and high-profile people for Vogue and W magazine.
Even her album art borrows from the fashion world. Take a look at the back cover of the album, for example, and you’ll see a gorgeous drawing of an elegant woman in a long dress. That’s a reference to Cecilie Schumacher, one of the most stylish and renowned designers from Copenhagen, Denmark. If you look closer, you’ll also notice that the woman in the painting is holding a fashion magazine with the cover featuring Eiza. It’s basically an ode to Schumacher and all her design triumphs.
So if you’re searching for style inspiration, you could do worse than to check out Eiza. Not only does she have an incredible eye for fashion, but she’s also clearly learned a lot from the masters. And if you like what you see, don’t forget to check out her work, as it’s definitely worthy of your time.