While most people were still celebrating his split from Nicole Kidman, Robert Pattinson was hard at work on his next film. The 26-year-old actor was joined by his band the Twilight Saga: Eclipse cast for the video shoot of his new single, “Real,” directed by Bruce Weber. The song is taken from Pattinson’s upcoming album, Watercolors, which is due out August 24th.
Robert Pattinson And His Bandmates
The video starts with a shot of a car driving down a desolate road. In the front, we see a stern-looking Pattinson with long hair and beard. He is wearing a black t-shirt and jeans, and looks like he is in desperate need of a shave. On the back of the vehicle is a young woman with long hair and a flower crown, riding shotgun with the actor. Behind them in the back is another man, this time with a shorter haircut, wearing a white T-shirt with the word ‘REAL’ printed on it. He is also holding a guitar.
Watercolor Painting
The song begins with a guitar strumming introduction that builds up to a steady beat. As the track progresses, it becomes more and more apparent that the song is an ode to the beauty of watercolors. The first few lines pay tribute to Monet and Manet, two famous 19th century French painters who are often referred to as the fathers of impressionism. “Look at the rain,” sings Pattinson, his voice rising at the end of each line. “It comes down in fat warm drops.”
Pattinson explains that the inspiration for “Real” came from a poem he wrote about a Monet painting, describing how he admires its luminous colors. “The beauty of watercolors is that they are so smooth and bright,” he says. “When you see a lot of watercolors, it makes you want to paint, too. They are very inspiring. Especially when you see a scene like this with all the rain and everything, it makes you feel like ‘I want to be in there, getting wet and wild.’”
A Different Take On Romance
The video opens with a romantic scene between a man and a woman, who start walking towards each other, holding hands. As they get closer, a sense of menace fills the air. The woman is dressed in a long, sheer dress that covers her from head to toe. She has large sunglasses with black frames, which she pushes up on her nose as she approaches the man. When she is inches away from him, he jerks his hand away, and she slaps him. The camera then focuses on the man as he raises his hand to hit the woman, before turning around to reveal his face. The camera then focuses on the woman, as she places her right hand on her left shoulder, as if in surrender. The man then walks away, with a defeated look on his face.
The Concept Behind The Video
The lyrics for “Real” reference the English Romantic poets Robert Southey and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, both of whom wrote about the power of love. Southey’s 18th century poem, “The Song of Farewell”, begins: “I must leave you, my love, but it breaks my heart; / Though I would give my life to stay with you forever.”
Longfellow’s “Hymn to Love” begins with the words: “I choose to kneel before thee, / Rather than walk proud and alone. / O Goddess, help me in my love for thee! / Help me to praise thee for thou art divine.”
Weber, the director of the video, wanted to do something different with the song. “With ‘Real’,” Weber says, “we tried to create a mood where the lyrics were the last thing you’d think of. It’s almost like falling in love with a painting.”
Weber wanted to highlight Pattinson’s lyrical talents, and the visual references to impressionism, both of which are themes that recur throughout Watercolors. The concept of the album and the video is for “Real” to function as a sort of love letter to watercolors, and the emotion that they are capable of evoking. As Weber puts it: “For me, as a visual artist, it was an easy choice. But for a songwriter, it was challenging.”
The Watercolors Album
After its video shoot, Pattinson released the album’s lead single, “Wish You Were Here” along with its corresponding music video. The video, directed by Michael Bay, sees the actor in a variety of romantic scenes with his new partner, Emily Rose. The two of them wander around a vintage car collection, before going into a dilapidated mansion, where they make passionate love. In the end, their love is put to the test, when Emily Rose is pushed out of a window by her jealous lover, who then chases her down the street, in a snowstorm, with a gun in hand. The video closes with a bloodied woman lying in the snow on the street, while a young man walks away, dejected.
The video for “Real” does not feature Bay’s familiar car collection, but again, references to French impressionism, with a dash of punk. The video begins with a close-up of the young woman’s face, with tear-shaped sunglasses framing her eyes. As she raises her hands in the air, we see that she is wearing a T-shirt with the words ‘REAL’ printed on it. Behind her in the back is the same man who appears in the video for “Real,” holding a guitar. He slaps her after they’ve embraced, and she retaliates by slapping him. The camera then focuses on the man, as he turns around with an expression of defiance, while the woman stares at the floor in defeat. The video then cuts away to a scene in which the man is seen painting a flower, while the woman watches, captivated.
Pattinson And The ‘Twilight’ Phenomenon
In addition to Watercolors, which is due out on August 24th, Pattinson has a new album, Two Tales, out now. The album is a collaboration with French producer Jezrael, and finds Pattinson in typically adventurous fashion, exploring new musical grounds, while staying true to his eclectic taste.
The first track, “Blackbird Song”, is a cover of a Led Zeppelin song, while the second, “Tiger Stripe”, is an original composition, which could be compared to a Cat Stevens song. The album also features guests such as PJ Harvey, Maren Monheit, and Martha Wainwright. To promote Two Tales, Pattinson has been on a media blitz, appearing on shows such as The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and The Late Late Show with James Corden, as well as making cameos in movies such as Midnight in Paris and The Fifth Dimension.
Pattinson And Nicole Kidman’s Split
It was just over a year ago that Nicole Kidman and Robert Pattinson announced their split. The couple had been together since 2006, and were known for their luxurious lifestyle, which included spending time with their children, Lily-Rose and Cornelius, and traveling the world. In a statement to press, Kidman said: “It is with great sadness that I announce the ending of my six-year marriage to Robert. We are deeply grateful to our families and our many friends for their love and support during this time. We wish to thank you for respecting our privacy.”
Pattinson responded by posting an open letter to Kidman, in which he wrote: “I miss you terribly, more than I can say. You were my better half. You made me a better man, and there’s no way to express how much that means to me. I still love you, and I always will. If I’ve ever been your true love, I am that person now. You’ll always be my dearest friend.”
Looking Back
Now that Watercolors and its songs are out there, where does Pattinson go from here? Having already established himself as a leading man, the next step for the actor is to start acting in bigger movies. “I will continue to focus on my career,” he says, “and try to make the most of this time. I have many projects that I am super-excited about, and I can’t wait to get started.”