Sometimes, love isn't hot. Sometimes, infatuation and unfulfilled romantic longing can plunge the afflicted person into an emotional state reminiscent of an ice bath. It's hardly the first time he's turned the trick. St. Louis R&B and soul singer Stringz EMB know exactly what that's like.
Showcasing this in his latest single, "Hijacked," we embark on an exploration of love at its chilliest, most relaxed state. Switching to the music video, which Stringz EMB directed himself, the visuals take us to a stark, gorgeous, snow-covered mountain top in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.
A tireless performer, he's taken his stage show from coast to coast, sharing stages with ATG of Discrepancies, Lyfe Jennings, Bubba Sparxxx, and Murphy Lee. Over his career, Stringz EMB has built a catalog of thoughtful, emotionally sophisticated, smartly-written soul and R&B songs that have allowed him to be noticed far beyond the city limits of St. Louis.
As we feast our eyes on the visual component of "Hijacked," we quickly see how this visual metaphor for the singer's tormented heart is such a pure sight to take in.
The crisp, white snowfall in Colorado takes us into the depths of nature as we see Stringz EMB take shelter in the warmth of a cabin. Using this retreat to escape and come to terms with the notions of a hijacked love around him, this striking metaphor has him remaining frozen in time and unable to access the flow of life as he wishes to do so.
His ability to communicate such an intricate topic sits with us well as we dissect the refined meanings of Stringz EMB's work. Dipping into the world of genuine love, "Hijacked" is a specific description of an in-between state that everybody has experienced but which few can pin down so persuasively. With tantalizing croons that swoon us into the embrace of the emerging artist, the vital essence of his delivery has us hanging onto each word performed.
Easing us into the change of scenery that happens through "Hijacked," it's safe to say that when Stringz EMB is seen with the lover who has captured his heart, he's pointedly at home. But he's by himself when he's in the mountain cabin that symbolizes his frigid disposition, surrounded by high, snow-covered pines and trackless, frosty wilderness. Wandering through the snow in summer fashion, Stringz EMB reveals that his bare quintessence has him exposed, vulnerable, yet somehow unperturbed.
Find out about the hype that surrounds Stringz EMB for yourself. Watch the "Hijacked" music video on YouTube today.
Welcome to BuzzMusic, Stringz EMB! Congratulations on releasing your latest single and video for "Hijacked." We love just how heartfelt this song is. Was there a particular moment or story that inspired the creation of this record?
Thank you so much for having me. I truly appreciate the love and support that I've been receiving for the song and video. Honestly, this song is simply inspired by love. You know, real love. The love that makes your stomach hurt when you conjure up thoughts of what life may be like without it. Love that gets you up every day and forces you to be better than you were yesterday. Sometimes, we have to be reminded that every single day is a blessing. We know that, but at times, we take our walk, our journey, and our experiences for granted. The people placed in our lives are there for a reason. I challenge you to sincerely think about what life would be like without that person who calms your storm. That rumble that you feel... that's love, & you, my friend, have been hijacked. That's the inspiration for this song.
Did you have the concept for the music video before or after recording
"Hijacked?" What was it like filming the visuals for this piece?
The concept for all of my videos is typically thought of during the songwriting process. That's what makes songs easy for me. I write from a visual standpoint, and then I make sure that it's audibly appealing. There's always some type of beautiful thought in my head for the visual. The challenge is bringing it to life, lol. For this one, because of the airiness of the chorus, I instantly had thoughts of doing it within the midst of a forest. I saw myself floating around amongst the trees. When the time came & we decided that now was the time to shoot the video, we chose Denver for 420—it made sense to us. Denver, mountains, cabins, tall trees, forest, beauty. But, little did we know, God had other plans, lol. The day we landed in Denver, it snowed & I mean, it REALLY snowed. 12 -16 inches, to be exact.
Our cabin was a 90 min drive into the mountains, so honestly, we just took what God gave us and made it work. It ended up being more stunning than we could ever imagine. S/O to the team. EM Breese, it was actually his idea to fly out to Denver. He actually chose the cabins. Corrie "Films by Ceesz" Hairston, Jr., flew in from AZ to capture its beauty, and my brother Ryan Moore is one of the most dependable guys I know. He's always there to capture the behind-the-scenes feel of every occasion. I can't forget my cousin, James Brown and my sister, Dr. Shamika Cordis. If you're in the Seattle area, she is THEE Chiropractor to check out! Ultimately, we are extremely pleased with the way "Hijacked" turned out. I can't thank my team enough. Always there for me if I fall... lol (inside joke).
What memorable moments have made the release experience that much more
rewarding?
In everything that we do, it's always about the experience. Of course, it snowed, and you can easily see that from the video, but can you really imagine how cold it was? We're not talking, just a cold day. We're talking about a snowstorm in the mountains of Denver. Outside of Chicago or Toronto, I'm not sure if it gets any colder. I was out there in a jacket, no shirt, some of the thinnest shorts in my collection, and some tall designer boots WITH NO SOCKS! The lining of my boots is orange, so every 10 minutes, because of it being so cold, we took breaks. Each time, my boots would be filled with snow, and because of the orange lining of my boots, my feet looked like mutated carrots. Honestly, the whole weekend was pretty nuts, but anything for the shot, right?
I do remember being out there, in the middle of nowhere, and noticing that the wifi for the AirBnB was called "Murder Farm." Nuts right? Well, to make it more interesting, they had hacksaws and axes on the walls of the cabins as decorations. Funny joke? Hell no, we were scared out of our minds. On the 1st night, we set up posts. One group would nap, while the other stayed up to a lookout. We were in a cabin, so there were huge windows wrapped around with no blinds, so if they wanted us, they saw EXACTLY what we were doing at all times. The whole time, we were just hoping and praying that we didn't become a scene from one of those "why are you going outside by yourself" movies. We all know the black man dies first, lol. Well, as you can tell from this interview, N*GGA, we made it! Lol. The video was a success and the love we've been receiving has been nothing short of overwhelming.
What advice do you have for your listeners going through the subject matter you
speak of?
To my listeners, my advice is to always remain patient. I tend to struggle with that, myself. Being creative, you're either patient and fall back, or you're aggressive, and you're on the attack. What they don't talk about is that there's a balance. That middle region is where you want to become more comfortable. Search for and discover self. Create a path of evolution for self and within that realm, remain aggressively patient. Yep, aggressively patient. What do you think about that phrase? I may coin it! I wouldn't be me if I didn't advise you to "claim your wins, but please stay humble." Quoted from my hit single, "Perfect." You should check that out sometime. I'm sure you'd love it.
What's next for you?
Well, here in St. Louis, because of the immense amount of love that I've received so far, I am hosting an appreciation show on June 9th, and it's sponsored by the St. Louis Public Library and a few other huge companies in our area. I want everyone who's been supporting me through this journey of finding myself to have the ability to come out and enjoy the man, the artist, and the creator that they helped to build. I would be nothing without them, without you. I am truly appreciative of the love and continued support and the only way to show them is to show them.
Of course, in the meantime, the visuals will continue to come and new content will be created; that never stops. Be on the lookout for the next video, "I Should Be." You're going to LOVE it! Follow me on all platforms. I'm a verified artist on IG @StringzEMB, and be sure to add me to your favorite playlists. Stringz EMB wherever you search!