Freya Ridings – the breakthrough British artist hailed by London’s Sunday Times Culture magazine as “an extraordinary talent” – has released her new single, “You Mean The World To Me” (Capitol Records/Good Soldier), today along with the accompanying video. Golden Globe-nominated “Game of Thrones” star Lena Headey (Cersei Lanister) directed the short film, which stars Maisie Williams, who plays Arya Stark on “Game of Thrones,” and Ridings. Watch the video now below.
“I had such an emotional response to Freya’s voice and the song,” says Lena Headey. “We had a few versions of this video, some were considered too dark. I think we achieved a version that allows us to see Freya in a raw emotional performance. And the family element is what the song is all about.”
Freya Ridings explains, “When I heard that Lena Headey and Maisie Williams wanted to work on the music video for the new single I was beyond humbled. This is a hugely personal and emotional song for me. I’m just in awe of the emotionally intelligent, strong women that worked on it, which also reflects the woman it was originally written about – my mum.”
Produced by Greg Kurstin (Adele, Sia, Liam Gallagher, P!nk) and mixed by Tom Elmhirst (Adele, Amy Winehouse), “You Mean The World To Me” is a song that Ridings wrote alone in her living room about a period when her mother was ill.
You Mean The World To Me also includes Ridings’ global smash “Lost Without You.” A hymn to lost love and regret, the track has attained over 100 million cumulative streams worldwide and Platinum status in the U.K., where it charted in the Top 10 for eight weeks. The last time a female artist hit the Top 10 with a song 100% written by themselves was in 2012 with a re-charting of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill.” Ridings made her U.S. television debut last month, performing “Lost Without You” on “The Late Late Show with James Corden.” She will release her self-titled debut studio album this summer.
Ridings will perform at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles on May 8 and at New York City’s Bowery Ballroom on May 13. Tickets go on sale today at 10:00 AM local time. Her current U.K./Ireland tour marks her biggest sold-out headline outing to date. She will also play numerous summer festivals, including Isle Of Wight and Latitude.
Freya Ridings – Upcoming U.S. Shows
5/8 Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theatre TICKETS
5/13 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom TICKETS