LAUREN RUTH WARD
PREMIERES “MINDSEYE” VIDEO
ANNOUNCES 2023 EUROPEAN TOUR
Throughout 2022, LAUREN RUTH WARD has single-handedly revitalized the image of powerful women in rock’n’roll by unleashing a spree of viral hit singles and headlining a sold-out U.S. tour. With the premiere of the music video for her brilliant new VERO Music Label single, “Mindseye,” as well as imminent European concert trek, Ward is poised for exciting new heights in 2023.
Directed by Dri Sommer and Nicol Biesek, the video features rising star Sarah Catherine Hook, famed for her work on the Netflix series First Kill. Hook plays a woman haunted by “the Hot Corpse,” aka Ward as a past lover.
“When we originally heard ‘Mindseye,’ we immediately felt that the song called for a visual narrative journey — we knew that the lyrics as well as the tempo changes would be so fun to create a story around,” says Sommer. “What we didn’t know is that Lauren had just worked on a short film with an incredible makeup artist that had inspired her to want to play a corpse character that looked…sexy. That’s how the Hot Corpse was born. We began brainstorming as a team and decided the corpse would be stuck in her ex-girlfriend’s house watching her move on to a new partner.”
Adds Biesek, “Because the song is about the loss of relationship, we wanted to show a wide range of emotions: from longing to jealousy and grief as somebody moves on. We wanted the audience to sit with the corpse’s loss and nostalgia without it feeling morbid.”
The clip is the crowning achievement of the deeply emotional, passionate music that fills the Mindseye EP, matching the title-song’s lyrical complexity.
Of the seductive, guitar-laced title track of her wildly anticipated EP of the same name, Ward says, “‘Mindseye’ is about being in a relationship and trying to figure out what parts are real and what parts are disillusionment for you and for the other person. It’s a question that is always there, especially since we’re always changing. It can be hard to be honest with yourself and with a person you love because you don’t always know if you’re crazy or sane. It’s the paranoid part of being in love.”
“Mindseye” is the latest salvo in a creative era that has seen the Baltimore-bred/L.A. based artist go from strength to strength, starting with viral smash “Messiah,” which has enjoyed viral streaming activity worldwide. The bluesy rock anthem is accompanied by a smoldering performance video lensed by filmmaker Wes O’Connor.
The singles building to the release of Mindseye have proven to be formidable fuel for Ward’s recent sold-out stateside concert trek that transcended the traditional artist/audience experience. “My shows have always been an interactive experience,” the artist says. “There’s a bond and a trust between us that exists and allows for a high degree of spontaneity.”
During the first quarter of 2023, Ward will embark on an extensive tour of Europe (dates below). These dates come on the heels of a sterling performance during the recent Celebrating David Bowie show in Los Angeles, as well as during this summer’s L.A. Pride 2022. Ward has also recently teamed up with internationally renowned comedian/writer/performer Mae Martin for a beautiful, lo-fi rendition of Elliott Smith’s evergreen “Twilight.” The track, which is available via SoundCloud, was recorded to raise awareness of issues surrounding mental heath and suicide prevention.
TOUR DATES
10/03: London, UK – The Lexington
11/03: Manchester, UK – The Yard
12/03: Newcastle, UK – The Cluny
14/03: Brighton, UK – The Hope & Ruin
16/03: Paris, FR – Backstage
17/03: Amsterdam, NL – Paradiso
18/03: Utrecht, NL – TivoliVredenburg
19/03: Groningen, NL – Oosterpoort
21/03: Hamburg, DE – Nochtwache
22/03: Copenhagen, DK – Ideal Bar
24/03: Cologne, DE – Blue Shell
25/03: Berlin, DE – Privatclub
26/03: Prague, CZ – Futurum Music Bar
28/03: Munich, DE – Milla
29/03: Zürich, CH – Dynamo
30/03: Bolzano, IT – Pippo Stage
01/04: Savona, IT – Raindogs House
02/04: Bologna, IT – Freakout Club
Lauren Ruth Ward
