Acclaimed singer/songwriter, Dermot Kennedy has released the video for “Innocence and Sadness,” the emotional track from his sophomore album Sonder, out now on Island Records/Interscope. The new video was co-directed by Sean Lew (World of Dance) and Talia Favia ((Dancing with the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance), and features striking choreography by Favia. Watch it now below.
“Innocence and Sadness” is a beautiful piano ballad that’s as quiet and delicate as it is huge and powerful, and is Dermot’s favorite track on Sonder. The album cut and original performance video were captured fully live in one take at a Brooklyn recording studio in 2022. This new conceptual video gets an inventive treatment by Lew and Favia, who weave an imaginative narrative through expressive choreography and cinematic framing. Lew, a professional dancer, choreographer, and actor among other talents, also stars in the clip. The partnership between Kennedy and Favia has developed over the years with the two working together multiple times including Dermot’s live video for “Better Days.” Along with Lew, the trio successfully explore the depth of “Innoncence And Sadness” from multiple angles in this new video.
Talia Favia comments, “Collaborating on the video was an extraordinary journey. Witnessing Dermot’s swift adaptation to the choreography was truly inspiring. It’s a testament to the power of mutual artistic trust and the magic that happens when creatives unite. Crafted with Dermot’s genuine investment in his artistry, this project stands as a privilege, reflecting the remarkable synergy that arises when two art forms share an honest and profound creative bond.”
Sean Lew adds, “The day that I met Dermot with Talia, I immediately knew that there was nothing that was going to stop us from making something together. For years, I’ve been one of Dermot’s biggest fans. The utter emotion and honesty in his voice makes him second to none, and creating this has been an experience and a half. To direct alongside Talia has been a true testimony to our relationship. She’s been someone I’ve looked up to for years and all I’ve wanted to do was to showcase her work in the best way possible, so it was a honor to implement my film perspective onto her work.”
Throughout the video, Dermot is seen using The Freestyle by Samsung – the portable smart projector that transforms virtually any surface into a screen up to 100 inches1 with your favorite content, including streaming entertainment platforms and cloud gaming. An avid fan of the brand, Dermot is collaborating with Samsung to help create and share his art using the latest Samsung innovations. He joins businesswoman Martha Stewart, actress Rosario Dawson, and professional football player Carl Nassib as part of the Samsung “More Wow than Ever” campaign that welcomes artists, athletes, entrepreneurs, tastemakers, philanthropists and more to share personal stories of how Samsung innovations and SmartThings help bring their creativity to life and power their passions.