Villette Shares 360 Degree Video For 'Money' + Interview

Auckland-based singer and producer Villette has followed her powerful recent mixtape Drip Crimson with a 360 VR video for her forthcoming single 'Money'. Created with a team of collaborators including director Parker Howell, Baron VR, Red Bull Music, choreographer Nina McNeely and movement artist Danny Gutierrez (Cirque du Soleil), the immersive and intimate video is a first-person sensory extravaganza putting viewers in the shoes of "an ex-lover haunted by dreamlike visions of Villette."

We had the opportunity for a quick chat with Villette at her video's launch party last night in Auckland which was an audio-visual spectacular in itself, with the interview being conducted on a white bed and the artist wearing a stylised outfit from the clip. She promises more singles and a debut EP on the way for this year - watch the video below (which can be experienced with or without a headset) and read on for Villette's words on 'Money'...

What's your new single 'Money' about?

It's about being a stripper, it is what it is. It's about taking someone's money. It's about empowerment, any job a women should take, she should feel comfortable in expressing how she feels about it, and for me, I wanted to write a song that was kind of intense and in your face. I wrote the song three years ago and I wanted it to be a proud song. Unapologetic, and I feel like we've achieved that.

That ties into the idea behind the video, and the idea of having it from that first person perspective as well?

Yes, it was really important to get the theme of manipulation in there, and taking control. This video isn't necessarily a visual representation of the exact song in it's literal form. It's got the theme of the snake, it's got the themes of toying with the man with the rope, so it does play on the same emotion as the actual song. I think that's why they fit so well together.

So what's it like for you when you experience the video from that perspective?

It's so fucking weird [laughs]. When I first watched it I was like "yay, okay" [laughs]. Honestly it was really really weird. I think now when I watch it I'm excited about it, it's cool to see myself the way other people are seeing me. It's always going to be weird for me, it's always a shock when I do watch it, but I like it.

Who worked on the production side?

It was Baron VR, they're based in LA and they were amazing. The actual filming of it took just over twelve hours, so we shot it all in one night. Post-production obviously took months to do and that was hardcore.