Here is the latest video from Nashville-based singer-songwriter Shannon LaBrie. ‘Building’ is a tender, heartfelt song of love, dreams and creating a future in partnership. It’s a hopeful song that focuses on the metaphor of building something together but, “It’s not a house // There is no roof // We have no walls // Our only proof // Of what we’ve made // Is in all the ways // We keep building.” The sentiment is direct, disarming and easily recognisable for anyone who has ever been in love. This is the kind of powerful love that is about more than just passion but builds slowly, perhaps quietly, into something long-lasting. LaBrie explained to AUK: “The song itself is about building a home that isn’t formed by boards and nails but instead built out of the invisible things that make up a full and meaningful life— hopes, dreams, moments, and a love that knows no boundaries.”
Both the guitar-work and LaBrie’s soulful vocal possess a delicacy and grace that seem in keeping with the steady steps a couple take together in a deepening relationship. An engaging vocal melody sways over a gentle rhythm and the listener is quickly absorbed in the emotions of the song.
Fittingly, the video was filmed in a house in the process of being restored and turned into a home. LaBrie told AUK about the filming process: “It felt ‘meant to be’ to film the video for ‘Building’, in the home that Tia Sillers (my co-writer) was in the midst of gutting out in the heart of Nashville, TN. It just seemed too perfectly poetic to pass up the chance to film in the sawdust and the sweat of summer. The house itself has been somewhat a mirror to our lives. In many ways, this house kept our little pod going through the trenches of 2020, and I’m thankful to have this moment in time to refer to forever. The house being nearly finished at this very moment wouldn’t be recognisable so, it’s special to have this footage to gleam back on. I’ve had the privilege of shooting several videos with Sarah Holbrook, over the past year. I’ve never met a harder worker and someone so willing to get down in the dirt and try new things. With the pandemic still in full motion, we had to keep getting extra creative on how to shoot while keeping everyone safe. Sarah single-handedly did the job of an entire video shoot team, and she did it with a smile and lots of laughing. It was 102 degrees that day, and while I was trying not to sweat through all my clothes, she was carrying a 50-pound camera on her shoulders. At the same time, our actor and construction site facilitator also assisted in mirror lighting and fan holding. It’s incredible what they both achieved with such a limited team!”
This single is the title track from recent album ‘Building’, which was released in 2020 to critical acclaim. Now earning millions of streams, LaBrie has been championed by the likes of Rolling Stone and CMT. With the subtle songcraft on display here, we can see why. Check it out.
Behind-the-scenes photo: Shannon LaBrie, Video Director Sarah Holbrook and Actor Brandon Otto
