Shilpa Ananth Resides In a Striking Visual World for ‘The Search’ Video
The U.A.E.-based pop artist introspects in a new way, with elaborate sets, intriguing sartorial choices and interpretive dance
Shilpa Ananth. Photo: Neelima Azad
Indian-origin, Dubai-based artist Shilpa Ananth digs deeper into her psyche amidst ornate and abstract art in the music video for her song “The Search.” She asks ominously in the hook of the song, “What will I do in search of power? Who will I turn into when it’s over?”
Shot in Rajasthan by director Suruchi Sharma from the production house Studio Ainak and featuring dancers Akshay Kundu and Purvi Khandelwal alongside Ananth, the music video takes the pop artist’s visual aesthetic to a whole new level. With an eye on fashion as well as setting that we’ve seen in music videos for releases like “I Dwell,” “Align” and “Fear,” Ananth emerges even stronger in her quest for identity.
The song is produced by Mumbai-based producer Riatsu aka Shadaab Kadri, who lends his signature ambient flourishes that make it uneasy, intriguing and urgent all at once. Ananth says in a statement about the production, “The dynamic soundtrack embodies the journey of overcoming existential crisis and reclaiming self-worth during times of uncertainty.”
Lyrically, the artist sings about honor and journeying, but also the dangers in the midst of it all when adversity strikes. “I was questioning my self-worth, my life purpose, and going through an extreme period of existential crisis at the time,” Ananth adds in her statement. Each question, she says, led her to the feeling of powerlessness and so, she wondered how she could “summon them [powers] back.” Ananth says, “[At the]end of the song asking ‘Am I worthy, am I worthy of my journey?’ These lines mean everything to me, and brought me true meaning of my path as a person and an artist as I wrote them, so there’s no question that creating ‘The Search’ literally saved my life.”
Watch the video for “The Search” below.
