Introduction

When I was first approached with the idea of creating a music video for "Floating" by Von Veh, I saw an opportunity to blend emotional depth with visual storytelling. The song’s evocative lyrics, which dive into the complexities of love, longing, and healing, spoke to me on a very personal level. Music has always been a deeply emotional journey, and translating that into visual form is both a challenge and a privilege.

I accepted this because I believe art is about more than just an image or a sound, it’s about creating a connection with the audience. With "Floating", the lyrics have a beautiful vulnerability, and I felt that I could help bring that to life in a way that would resonate with listeners. The goal wasn’t to simply match visuals to music, but to amplify the feelings in the song, using every visual element to dive deeper into the emotional core of the piece.

The song itself is melancholic, yet hopeful, and I felt that using contrasting visuals, darkness and light, stillness and motion, would capture the very nature of this inner turmoil and journey toward resolution. By combining water imagery, surreal lighting, and an ethereal atmosphere, I aimed to craft a world where the song’s emotions are not only heard but felt through the visuals.

There is something deeply compelling about taking a piece of music that is so rich in emotion and story and translating it into visuals that can evoke similar feelings in the viewer. For me, creativity is about pushing boundaries, whether through a canvas, a lens, or the world of AI. This project offered the unique chance to work with Von Veh's music, a piece with an almost universal theme, and breathe life into it through visuals that transcend traditional music video styles.

Accepting this job was not only about creating beautiful imagery but about exploring human emotions in an abstract, surreal way. Music videos are about creating experiences, and I wanted to take the audience on a journey, just like the song itself takes us on a ride through selfreflection, struggle, and ultimately, healing.

The process of this project was driven by the desire to elevate and enhance the song’s core emotional impact, using visual storytelling to mirror the highs and lows of the music. It’s a collaboration of sound and image, where each moment of the song finds its visual counterpart, making the emotional connection even more powerful.

Visuals and Style

For the song "Floating" by Von Veh, the visuals were crafted to reflect the emotional journey described in the lyrics, with a particular focus on themes of love, loss, and self-discovery. The images were designed to evoke surreal, dream-like emotions that align with the reflective, melancholic mood of the song.

Water as a Metaphor

Water was used to symbolize the fluidity of emotions and the way love resurfaces even after being hidden or suppressed. The dark, rippling water signifies emotional depth and turmoil, with flickering lights across the surface representing moments of clarity, hope, or desire.

Contrasting Light and Shadow

The contrast between light and dark was an important visual tool in this project. The lighter parts of the song were depicted with soft, ambient lighting, while the heavier sections became sharper, with more intense light to match the rising energy of the track. This contrast represents the emotional push-pull of the song, times of hope and despair.

The Female Figure

The main character, a woman, serves as the emotional anchor of the video. Her gaze, often longing, distant, or reflective, mirrors the inner conflict and desire found in the lyrics. The figure is floating in a space between moments of clarity and emotional turmoil, symbolizing the sense of being lost or drifting in one's emotions.

Symbolism of Movement

The idea of floating is central to the imagery. It reflects the sense of being caught in between: between moments of emotional connection and separation. The visuals also include shifting environments, suggesting change, growth, and the fluidity of feelings.

Surrealistic Elements

The visuals blend hyperrealism with elements of surrealism, enhancing the sense of disorientation and emotional complexity. Soft-focus effects and a dreamy atmosphere were used to add layers of depth and create a sense of timelessness.

Lighting and Mood

Lighting plays a key role, especially in the transition between the more subdued sections and the intense parts of the song. In the quieter moments, the lighting is subtle and ambient, with soft glows. When the energy picks up, the lighting becomes more dramatic, with shadows cutting through the scene to match the rising intensity.

Point of View

This work embodies the emotional essence of the song's lyrics through evocative imagery. The goal was not to merely illustrate the song’s words but to amplify the feelings of longing, selfreflection, and healing. The visuals aim to provide a space where viewers can connect with the emotional landscape of the song, navigating between darkness and light, and experiencing the journey of finding clarity.

Through these images, the song's themes of hope, pain, and transformation are brought to life in a visual world that balances dreamy realism with surreal intensity.

Amalia de la Vega
Dead End Gallery Amsterdam