“I developed a huge crush on this very elusive woman,” STRONZA tells PAPER of her latest single, “Burning Up.” “It was magnetic, on and off, exciting, torturous. In the end I just put it all in this song and walked away. But I love having a crush. They always creatively inspire me.”
The South African artist channeled that infatuation into a synth-pop ode to “wanting what we can’t have.” In it she sings, “burning up for you,” at the chorus, her voice lifting lighting on top of glittery keys as kinetic percussion kicks in.
The video, premiering today on PAPER, was directed by South African filmmaker Royd Ringdahl, known for his music videos for Internet Girl.
“I wanted to make a ‘lesbian Brokeback Mountain lite,’” STRONZA says of the video’s inspiration. “Playing on this idea of unrequited love. I sat down with Royd, the director, and we brainstormed against the song's meaning. He came back with this great treatment that explores a friendly camping trip gone awry amidst romantic tensions and miscommunications. Plus there’s a fencing sequence which has long been a fantasy of mine to do.”
Parts of the video, particularly the cast, came together spontaneously. “I met these three goddesses when I was home on a trip in Cape Town, they were all like six feet tall with very long hair and constantly frolicking in nature,” she tells us. “At first I was like, ‘Is this a cult, and how do I join?’" STRONZA says. "Then we became very close friends and I realized I they were the cast I needed for my lesbian Brokeback Mountain idea.” After she tapped Ringdahl to direct, they got a “small but mighty crew” together on a farm in Paarl and began to shoot.
“It was supposed to be a bright, sunny day but on the morning of the shoot a crazy, cold fog descended,” she says. “We could barely see anything and half the crew got lost, so we went to work and just started shooting. Eventually, the fog lifted and created this eery vibe which I now really love."
The track and video are a first glimpse at STRONZA’s upcoming EP. “I’m working on more of a dance/club track next,” she says. “I really want to create synthy dance music that integrates Amapiano-inspired beats. Who wants in?”
So, how do Royd and STRONZA want viewers to feel when they see the visuals? “I want the audience to feel present in the music, to come to their own conclusions both emotionally and narratively,” Ringdahl tells PAPER. “I think that is the beauty of art, no matter how intentional or personal it feels making it, once it’s out there, it’s no longer yours.”
STRONZA adds, “I want them to feel a little turned on.”
Photography: Royd Ringdahl
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