Should art stand alone, or can a backstory deepen a viewer’s appreciation for a work of art? In the case of MYRNE and Manila Killa’s two-part music video for Fluorescence EP, both sentiments ring true. The music videos stand alone: telling a heartfelt story of grief, love, and compassion. A deeper investigation reveals an equally moving backstory.
Released during the COVID-19 pandemic, Fluorescence connects artists and fans, stories and realities. Discover how the death of one artist inspired a narrative, and how a narrative has the power to help many others cope with illness, fear, and loss.
The Fluorescence EP marks a major collaboration between MYRNE and Manila Killa
MYRNE and Manila Killa both share deep connections to South East Asia, with MYRNE producing music from his home in Singapore and Manila Killa living in the Philippines and Indonesia at different times in his life. Both artists have reached a global audience for their subtle, ephemeral dance tracks. After connecting with one another, and even touring together, these two electronic music producers have finally released a collaborative EP – Fluorescence. Manila Killa shared the story behind the EP:
We’ve actually known each other for a few years, but the 1993 tour was the first time we properly had a chance to get to know each other – it turned out we had a lot in common and shared many of the same inspirations and aspirations. Only recently have both of us garnered enough confidence to begin using our own voices in productions and ‘Fear’ being a duet is an example of just that. ‘Where Do We Go From Here?’ is homage to the club and dance music – we both grew up on the progressive house era and wanted to portray our own interpretation of the movement.
The two-part music video for Fluorescence EP tells one story from two different perspectives
The video for Where Do We Go From Here?, released last month, follows a young girl as she grieves the death of her mother. Now living with her grandmother, she brings home a pet goldfish and isolates herself. Using dance as an expression of her emotions, her movements tell a story of deep loneliness.
The music video for Fear was released a week later. The second video tells the same story, but from the perspective of the young girl’s grandmother. The older woman must process her own emotions, grieving the death of her daughter. At the same time, she must now take responsibility for the well-being of her granddaughter. Finally connecting with the young girl, the two characters dance through the pain together.
Creative direction came from Isreali fashionista, Liron Eini
This is a story about grief, loneliness and release of a young girl living with her grandmother. I hope this piece will give you all some sort of joy or comfort in this difficult time.
– Liron Eini
Based in Karmiel, Isreal, Liron Eini garnered a large following on Instagram using bold color blocking to frame her radical fashion design. Inspired by pop art, Korean fashion, and retro sportswear, her visual design shines through in the two-part music video series.
In the videos, every frame uses color blocking to visualize the internal struggles of the characters. Deep blues capture the oppressive loneliness that comes hand in hand with grief. Warm oranges represent hope even in the darkest times.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B9uNusYhvfU/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Manila Killa explains in an Instagram post how Eini approached them with the idea to dedicate a video to Qing Han. Known to her fans as Qinni or @qinniart, the artist shared her illustrations and her personal struggles on Instagram while battling cancer. Ultimately losing her battle this past February, her art lives on, leaving a legacy of strength and creativity.
Artwork by Qing Han: https://www.instagram.com/qinniart/
Han’s artwork frequently featured goldfish, which explains why the music videos prominently featured goldfish. If the young girl in the video represents someone mourning Han, bringing home a pet goldfish may represent Han’s living inspiration to friends, family, and fans.
Share this story with anyone who may need extra strength during the current global crisis
With over 180,000 deaths to date, humans around the globe are losing loved ones to the novel coronavirus. Moreover, fear and misunderstanding may lead to stigma against certain groups, including people with illnesses, or people of Asian descent. The CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) released a useful article about reducing stigma.
Stigma affects the emotional or mental health (2) of stigmatized groups and the communities they live in. Stopping stigma is important to making communities and community members resilient (3). See resources on mental health and coping during COVID-19.
Everyone can help stop stigma related to COVID-19 by knowing the facts and sharing them with others in your community.
– The CDC
You can access the full CDC article here. If you are dealing with grief or stigma, we hope this story may help you feel less alone. DMNW exists to cultivate a positive, supportive community around dance music, and we thank you for being a part of it.
If this content from MYRNE and Manila Killa helped you or someone you know, remember that artists rely on your support to do what they do. Taking a moment to share this story will help support the new music featured in it, and help spread important information about reducing stigma in our community.
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