Soaring in from Virginia, singer-songwriter Elana Brody takes us to "The Garden" in a lush new music video for the title track of her recent album.
Straight out of the West Allegheny mountains, Elana Brody grew up on a farm surrounded by nature. On her routine family walks, she'd learn to keep her eyes and ears on high alert. Now bringing that same attunement to her music, Elana's discography is a breath of fresh forest air in the indie folk scene.
Brody's recent album, The Garden, invites listeners into her woodland wonderland with a unique blend of soulful harmonies and earth-loving lyrics. She just released a stunning music video for the album's title track, offering viewers an even more personal peek into her world.
Wondering why she's got old jeans with holes in the knees? Elana Brody sings it perfectly, "She's out in the garden planting seeds." All while she's picking an acoustic guitar and serenading us with gentle green-thumbed lyrics, we're met with scenes of honey bees, flowers, views, and Elana checking on the chickens.
With rows and rows of lush flowers and vegetables growing, this video serves as the perfect reflection of the calming, grounded lifestyle Elana grew up in. The visuals and instrumentals blend perfectly to mold one of Elana's most precious life experiences into timeless art. Again, she couldn't have said it any better, "Out in the garden, there is peace."
Put your city life on hold and escape into the wilderness with Elana Brody's latest music video, "The Garden," now available on YouTube. Find the entire album on all major streaming platforms.
Welcome to Buzz, Elana! We love the picturesque scenes in your new music video for "The Garden." What inspired you to bring this song to life visually?
It felt good to me to share the simple gift of working in the garden, an experience that I delight in visually. This summer, I was lucky to be staying on a farm I love dearly, and I thought it would be fun to make a music video there!
"The Garden" video feels so authentic to your roots. Was it shot on your childhood farm, and how did that influence the overall feel of the video?
The video was shot on a farm called Adamah, a small market farm and a fellowship program for young Jewish adults to learn how agriculture and ancient Jewish spirituality are connected. I was an "Adamah fellow" ten years ago, tending the land there and learning about my cultural heritage, and it was a life-changing experience! That was also my first time living and working on a farm in my adult life since the mountain homestead of my childhood. And like my childhood, we did a lot of singing there too!
Though the farm is different, in some ways, from the place that inspired the song, the video still captured the richness of what it's like to be surrounded by beauty in nature connected to the seasons. And the video also portrayed the preciousness of working closely with the earth, with your hands and your efforts.
The lyrics in "The Garden" paint a beautifully vivid picture. How closely did you work with the video director to ensure the visuals matched your vision for the song?
My only vision for this video was that I would, at some point in the film, be shoveling the compost. On this farm, they have massive compost piles and are iconic to the community! I wanted to do farm work in this video, and the best thing I could think to do was... shovel. And there's nothing more satisfying than dipping a shovel blade into finely decomposed, fresh, warm dirt! Witnessing the chickens running around the whole time, surrounding me from all directions, added to the fun. I spent a lot of time chasing the chickens to catch one, slipping on that compost mound, and never catching one until right before we wrapped the shoot! Sadly, none of that ridiculousness cut. (Stay tuned for bloopers on my Instagram page!)
Do you plan to release or create more music videos from your recent album, The Garden?
I made a music video for the album single "The Swan," which came out before the album's release on September 6th. It's a beautiful, sensual offering - depicting a woman in prayer to receive love as beautiful as the earth itself. The film was shot and edited by photographer and filmmaker Julie Romano in Nevada City, CA. Please give it a watch!
What do you hope viewers take away from watching the music video for "The Garden?" What was your goal?
The most important thing I could wish is for folks to get out in the garden or start tending to and caring for something ALIVE. A relationship like this, which roots us into connection and brings us a sense of stability and peace in our little corner of the world, is very important in this rapidly changing and stressful time. Tending to the land and growing our own food is an ancient and life-giving practice that all of our ancestors knew and never doubted. And I believe it's something we could come to rely on again, not just to resource our own food but also to rebuild our sense of place and safety here on earth. It's simple, it's practical, and it's healing.
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