Sophia Danai | Wish You Well [EXCLUSIVE VIDEO PREMIERE]

No stranger to ION, emerging singer-songwriter, Sophia Danai, debuts her video for "Wish You Well," a song about love and letting go of a relationship gone wrong. Complementing the track, the video is raw and shot in black and white by Director Steve Carty.

What inspired you to write Wish You Well?
"Wish You Well" is about a fairly toxic relationship I had. Once it was over, my perspective on love completely changed, and I gained an awareness about the complexities of what it means to love another person. I wrote the song about a year after it was over, and for me it's about the ghost of the person that once held such a strong presence and power in my life. I was at a point where I thought I had left it behind, but then all of a sudden, like a shock, I would feel him walking behind me, in the room, or have a sharp memory of something that happened between us. It's about letting go of that, even though anger and resentment lingers; learning that you have to genuinely wish the person well so you can move forward.

How did the vision and creative direction come about for the video?
The making of the music video was impromptu, inspired and driven by instinct. I was in Toronto performing at several events for TIFF, and on my last day, hours before boarding a plane back to Vancouver, Carty and I met up to do a photo shoot. Inspired by the minimalistic nature of "Wish You Well," we went with something bare, stark and impactful. Carty has a way of capturing the essence of his subjects at their most vulnerable. He then showed me a series of his vignettes, which are essentially moving portraits, and we were inspired to shoot a music video. We had two hours and only a few takes to deliver something authentic, and this worked in our favour. I am so proud and excited to share this work, and feel grateful to be in the company of such talented individuals. 

Back in 2012 you released your track "Let Me Ruin Your Life" on Valentine's Day. With the Halmark holiday coming up this week, is it safe to say it's not your favourite? [side note: we love your songs; perfect for the anti-Valentine's playlist]
Yes, safe to say! If your lover only celebrates you one day a year, it's time to fly. I encourage spontaneous celebrations and thoughtfulness as a daily practice.

"Wish You Well" is available on Sophia Danai's debut EP, Wishing Well.