Sawyer Fredericks teamed up with artist Andrew Benincasa for the animated video to Hide Your Ghost.
When it came time for Sawyer Fredericks to make a music video for the haunting title track to his new album, he turned to animator Andrew Benincasa of Brooklyn.
Their collaboration resulted in one of the most unique music videos of 2018.
Sawyer says he and his family were first introduced to Benincasa’s artwork when performing at the Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs in 2017, where some of it was on display.
Then he was shown a music video Benincasa created for folk artists Darlingside. They began sharing ideas for Sawyer’s song, “Hide Your Ghost.” The music video landed in early March.
“The illustrations that he did for the ‘Hide Your Ghost’ video isn’t exactly like what I picture the song as,” Sawyer told the Fulton County Express. “It’s more of his vision of what he was inspired by. It came out beautiful. His work is incredible.”
And Sawyer, an independent artist again after a post-Voice stint with Republic Records, left no doubt that he was enjoying the artistic freedom.
“Hide Your Ghost,” he said, “is the first album that I released that I feel is truly me. It’s me placing my roots and trying to show who I am as an artist.”
Sawyer, just 16 when he won Season 8 of The Voice, had released one independent album prior to the show, followed by 2016’s “A Good Storm” with Republic.
Here’s the music video for “Hide Your Ghost.”
Editor’s Note: By my count, former contestants from The Voice released more than 70 albums or EPs, more than 90 music videos and more than 800 original songs in 2018.
This week, I’m featuring my favorites, spotlighting what I’m calling the Top 5 music videos, Top 20 songs and Top 5 albums/EPs.
I hesitate to call them the best because that’s very subjective. Besides, I easily could have made each of these lists five times as long and still omitted lots and lots of great music.
That’s why I grit my teeth when Marshmellow or Ann-Marie or even a coach or advisor winds up with a guest performance spot on The Voice. I’ll never understand why the show doesn’t do more to promote its alumni.
Ah, but this isn’t a time for griping. It’s time to celebrate the accomplishments of talented artists.
I’ve also posted a complete list of post-Voice singles, albums and EPs, with links for your listening pleasure. And a blog with all 90-plus music videos. Please, check them out. Find your own favorites.
And if I’ve missed anyone, let me know. Stage names change. Side projects are created. Tracking the output of 600 post-Voice artists … well, I’ll be shocked if I didn’t miss someone. Just let me know by commenting below or emailing [email protected]. In terms of singles, my goal is to list any where the former contestant is the primary vocalist.
Coming tomorrow: The Top 20 post-Voice singles of 2018.
Happy listening.
Top Videos
1. Faultlines (Ashley Morgan), “Rain”
2. Sawyer Fredericks, “Hide Your Ghost”
3. Darby, “Play Pretend”
4. Brian Nhira, “Is This Love?”
5. Dawson Coyle, “Saturn”
All 2018 music videos
All 2018 albums and EPs
All 2018 singles
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