We’re premiering the London-based artist’s new music video exclusively on Crack Magazine.
gglum – real name Ella Smoker – is a 19-year-old singer-songwriter and producer based in Croydon. Smoker’s music floats between dreamy bedroom pop and lo-fi R&B aesthetics, while her lyrics are centred around reflective themes and personal experiences. Take her latest single glad ur gone, which – as the title suggests – came together towards the end of a relationship. “The song was written once I was able to take a step back and look at it from a clearer perspective,” explains Smoker. “Writing the song felt like closure to the whole situation and was when I realised that I was better off after the relationship had ended.”
glad ur gone dropped last week (1 July) alongside an accompanying music video directed by filmmaker Ben Brook, who has previously created visuals for the likes of New Balance, Levi’s, Mura Musa and Crack Magazine. The new video was shot in the scenic southwest of Wales, with the rugged Pembrokeshire coastline providing an imposing backdrop for the video’s uplifting storyline.
“With the video I explained to Ben what the song was about and sent over the lyrics,” says Smoker. “I love Ben’s work and knew he’d have a brilliant vision for it so I let him run with it and he came back to me with the idea of going to Wales, using a drone and having a bunch of collage moments in there. Ultimately it’s a happy song, so we wanted a video that captured that happiness and relief.”
“I’ve spent a lot of time in Pembrokeshire since childhood and when I first heard the track I instantly wanted to shoot it on that coastline,” adds Brook. “There’s something about it that offers up a clarity that really plays into the themes of the track; essentially, we took Ella to get some headspace.” Over email, he explains that he’s visited the location for same reasons himself on multiple occasions. “I think it’s really great for that because it’s really peaceful, but the landscape is really dramatic,” he says. “It makes you feel small and unimportant.”
“It’s a song about a breakup and getting over someone, but it’s quite uplifting too,” continues Brook. “The FPV [first-person view] drone stuff was intended to capture this euphoria, swirling around Ella as she realises this new state of happiness by the end of the track. Sometimes just being in a place like this, and having some separation is what is needed. I think the 16mm film and texture of the colourful collages makes this feel warm and nostalgic too, like it could be a memory – but hopefully people can relate to the mindset of Ella getting over someone.”
glad ur gone is out now. Stream the single here and watch the new video in the player above.