By LESLIE COLLINS
Northeast News
August 21, 2013

“It was one of the scariest things that’s ever happened to me in my life and one of the most brilliant things because it literally floored me,” said L.A.-based electropop artist IAMEVE.

A freak accident forced her to give up an instrument she adored, reshaping her music career and in a roundabout way lead her to Kansas City to shoot her latest music video, “Temptress.”

“It stopped me in my tracks and forced me to reinvent myself and look at what was and wasn’t working and choose a different path,” she said. “It also resulted in the writing of a lot of this album (The Everything Nothing).”

In a moment of spontaneity, she had hopped onto a rope swing at a park, but then fell, shattering her elbow and damaging her ankle.

“My elbow was smashed into smithereens,” she said.

Surgeons replaced her elbow and reattached the nerves and muscles, but IAMEVE spent months recovering and had to relearn how to move her fingers and hand.

Living in L.A. and away from her family, IAMEVE’s friends and neighbors took care of her, checking in on her at all hours of the day.

“It showed me such an inspiring part of human nature,” IAMEVE said. “It was really cool.”

IAMEVE transitioned away from playing jazz and classical-inspired songs on the the piano and guitar and began dabbling in the sounds of electropop.

Although the foundation of jazz and classical music still resonates with her, she also draws inspiration from David Bowie, Ziggy Stardust, the Beetles and Fleetwood Mac, to name a few. She’s also a fan of Muse, Empire of the Sun and MGMT.

She describes her current sound as ethereal pop mixed with electronic elements.

“I like to have a really broad texture of colors and sounds and draw from a wide variety of palette both melodically as well as in the all-around sound textures,” she said.

Her current album, “The Everything Nothing” focuses on storytelling and expresses what it’s like to transform as a human being, finding one’s personal voice and power, she said. It’s the story of a woman finding herself, learning to love herself and then finding her soulmate.

“It’s like a modern day fairy tale,” IAMEVE said.

KANSAS CITY SHOOT

In a whirlwind of a trip, IAMEVE flew to Kansas City and shot her music video over a three-day period. Kansas City’s Timothy Harvey, president at Just Some Guy Productions, directed the black and white 1940s era film noir which features IAMEVE as a nightclub singer accused of murder. Her soulmate, Detective Starman, played by Bryce Young, aids in her escape from jail and a police chase in vintage cars ensues.

From the costumes to the actors to the venues, everything about the video is Kansas City-based. In the Savoy Hotel, a 1940s era night club is recreated, complete with extras in vintage garb and IAMEVE channeling her sultry side, becoming a true temptress, as she performs for the club’s patrons.

“It’s just stunning – the whole building is,” she said of the Savoy Hotel. “You’re literally walking into a time warp. It’s amazing.”

Other shooting locations included the Kansas City Livestock Exchange and The Bauer.

“I know Kansas City is one of the epicenters of that time period…” she said. “It was a lot of fun working with the other actors. Jason (Nivens) and Jason (Miller), the detectives, were just so much fun. They’re just funny guys and really talented. We had a good time doing the faux shoot-outs on the streets.”

With only “indie resources,” they pulled off the video in a limited timeframe and IAMEVE credited the video’s success to her “incredible team.”

“We pulled off a phenomenal video that looks amazing,” she said. “It was really fantastic coming to Kansas City and working with everyone there.

“There’s an amazing art scene, there’s beautiful buildings everywhere, there’s great food. It’s just really phenomenal. Everyone there is so nice. I left thinking, ‘What an amazing city. I’d love to come back here.'”

•••

IAMEVE
•IAMEVE’s latest album “The Everything Nothing” is expected to be out later this year. Part of the album is currently available.
•”To Feel Alive,” a song she performed and co-wrote with Andrew Lockington, is featured on the soundtrack for “Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters.”
•IAMEVE’s music can be purchased on Amazon and iTunes. For more on IAMEVE, visit http://iamevemusic.com or www.facebook.com/iameveami.
•To view the “Temptress” music video that was shot in Kansas City, click here: http://vimeo.com/68790838