Exclusive Premiere: The Indian Joint Preface Valentine’s Day with Artful ‘Follow’ Music Video
The Bengaluru/Thiruvananthapuram alternative duo revisit their 2020 debut single and offer the perspective of empathy and flawed relationships
Bengaluru/Thriruvananthapuram alternative duo The Indian Joint. Photo: Krishachandran U
Bengaluru duo The Indian Joint ask an achingly straightforward question on their first-ever studio release “Follow.” Singer-songwriter and producer Jayakrishnan Padmakumar croons, “What the fuck is wrong with us?” and it’s now become the motivation behind the song’s music video.
Guitarist-composer Harikrishnan Padmakumar says “Follow” was about five years in the making in terms of being fully written, inspired by the Irish artist Hozier’s thoughts on the latter’s song “Jackie and Wilson.” Hozier considered love as a violent, defiant act against the universe, which Harikrishnan was taken in by. He says, “I mean, it is indeed an act of defiance – loving another contrasting entity, another human being, especially in our country where the cultural norm for relationships is still predominantly arranged.”
Ahead of the oft-maligned but time-honored tradition of Valentine’s Day, The Indian Joint’s music video for “Follow” narrates a story (written and directed by Harikrishnan and produced by Jayakrishnan) of what empathy can do for romance. Shot by Krishnanchandran Unnikrishnan, the video intersperses footage of a couple (Amritha J. and Sidharth) who grow close with the rock duo’s wiry performance. Harikrishnan cites filmmakers like Hiro Murai and Pranav Bhasin as formative in his love for the visual medium. He adds, “We thought the dramatic flourishes in both the music and the lyrics (the story behind it) actually deserved a video done for it.”
The Indian Joint has gone on to release a handful of singles since “Follow” – “Dizzy,” “Hey Mr. Fireman!” “Off the Deep End” and “Night At Church St.” which all escape easy sonic categorization. Now, they have a full-length album slated for release in March. Harikrishnan says they’ve re-recorded “Follow” as well. The guitarist adds that like “Follow,” the record also centers itself around falling in love, “losing perspective in conflict and trying to take responsibility for yourself.”
Watch the video for “Follow” below.
