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Get the Promonews daily round up
Skepta storms back with a state-of-the-nation critique and a video by Aidan Zamiri - shot by Jake Gabbay - that brilliantly captures the sense of turmoil in the track.[imgtoken data:1][imgtoken data:2]
Promonews - 23rd Sept 2026
Jake Duncan directs a thought-provoking and highly personal promo for Belfast-based singer-songwriter Joshua Burnside. The video for It's Not Going To Be Okay is a character study of a middle aged man - played by Duncan's father - living an isolated existence in the countryside, taking us through his daily routines, captured in cinematic scenes and lo-fi cutaways. And this intimate portrait through everyday moments also offers hints at a troubled past. [imgtoken data:1]"When (my Dad) was younger he trained as an actor, but through various forms of self-sabotage, opportunities were repeatedly disrupted," explains Duncan. "The film looks at some of the song’s broader themes through the intimacy of one person’s life: regret, resilience, isolation and the possibility of change."He spent some time in Bosnia at an addiction retreat and eight years in India, where he converted to Hinduism. He then returned home and converted an old horsebox that he’s been living in for the past thirteen years. He now works as a taxi driver, a livelihood that has become increasingly difficult to sustain amid the rising cost of living and declining hourly earnings.[imgtoken data:2]"Rather than trying to match the song’s scale, I wanted to locate its themes within one life. I made the project largely alone over three separate trips, directing, shooting and editing. I cast an actor to play his daughter in one short scene, but much of what appears in the video comes directly from his everyday life. Some sequences are entirely documentary, while others are slightly dramatised."The process has been extremely cathartic for both of us. For most of my life we lived in separate countries, and I only really began building a relationship with him as an adult. I’m glad that we were able to make this together and that such an incredible piece of songwriting gave me the impetus to explore his life, and our relationship, through the film."
Rob Ulitski - 22nd Sept 2026
Troye Sivan dons the chain mail in this latest romp from Gordon von Steiner, reimagining the age of chivalry with a courtly nod to The Princess Bride.The video for Party is, to be expected, another very stylish collab between Troye and von Steiner. A brilliantly effective battle scene it develops continuously into a mini-movie, with plenty of sumptiously-presented eyecandy in a great location - shot by Maximilian Pittner and graded by Jules Weilman at Studio RM.And there's an intro of considerable tongue-in-cheek gravitas from the great Sir Ian McKellan. So what more could you possibly want?[imgtoken data:1]
Promonews - 21st Sept 2026
Joy Crookes' throws herself into a relationship, for better and for worse, in an impressive step into a full-blown narrative video by directing duo Ethan & Tom.In the video for Painkiller, Ethan & Tom put an engagingly fresh spin on the story of a faltering love affair. That is partly down to the structure, but mainly due to how good Joy Crookes is in the role, and her chemistry with her leading man.Shot across Chicago, the film follows Joy through the city as the scales tip - from a happy start through to her waning confidence in the relationship, incorporating performance with the fastmoving narrative and then including Denzel Curry's rap on a karaoke screen. [imgtoken data:1]Joy's brief for the video was specific: the relationship should read as good at the start, and the illusion should come apart as the song does, so by the end the audience has watched a man's charm curdle. Ethan & Tom hold to that arc while keeping the tone light. The song has a tongue-in-cheek quality about someone who keeps being forgiven despite themselves, and the video carries that – it is a sad song shot with a sense of irreverence, fun, and abandon.Part of the success of the video is the casting of Joy's leading man. After a conventional search failed to produce worthy leading-man candidates, Partizan producer Danny Herman street-cast Matt Whipps at The Wormhole Coffee Shop in Chicago shortly before the shoot. His unrehearsed naturalism against Joy's performance lets the relationship's slow collapse register as observed rather than acted.Ultimately this is a confident step-up by Ethan & Tom into narrative territory. It moves between two textures – the immediacy of Chicago and the degraded warmth of tape – without losing its thread. With an excellent cut by editor Liv Ay, it reads as a breakup told in glimpses; funny where it needs to be, and honest about how long it takes to see what was in front of you.
Promonews - 16th Sept 2026
Singer-songwriter Laurel returns ahead of the release of her third album, with a playful promo for the title track directed by Abigail Wilson. The video for Crying On The Tennis Court is a nostalgia-washed dive into first love, heartbreak and the friendships that get you through it. Set in a British private school, the film blends VHS and digital footage to capture the chaos of being sixteen.All the 'schoolkids' in the video are clearly older than that, which contributes to the distinctive atmosphere created by Wilson - also aided by a magnificent country house location - flipping between Laurel's genuine emotion and some absurd events occuring around her. it's a standout visual with plenty of fun moments throughout - and a very welcome return to Abigail Wilson to music videos, with her first since Left Right Forward for Stone in 2023.
Rob Ulitski - 24th Sept 2026
In a year of big K-Pop and J-Pop blockbusters, the new one for LISA, directed by Bang Jae Yeob and released earlier this month, is arguably the biggest of all.As with the Henry Scholfield-directed video for the BLACKPINK singer's solo breakthrough Rockstar two years ago, the video was filmed in Bangkok, in LISA's home country Thailand. And it looks like the whole city was brought to a halt for the making of SaWaDiKa: the scale and ambition is massive and the execution is stunning. For this kind of thing, it has to be close to being the very best in class.
David Knight - 24th Sept 2026
Maxi McLachlan directs a striking promo for pop singer-songwriter Bea, where the artist remains firmly at the centre of an evolving story. The video for Ballet Pumps features a dazzling montage of vignettes with Bea (formerly known as Bea and her Business) at the centre, faking her enthusiasm through a slew of social situations. "The song is all about forcing a smile to appease the expectations of those around you," explains McLachlan. "In order to visually strike that emotional chord we needed a concept we could create with our limited resources. Thus we constantly rotate around Bea, when she faces one way she is 'on' having to perform and play happy, as she turns around we reveal how she truly feels 'behind the scenes'."As the camera orbits around her, we get a peek behind the curtain of what's really going on, before a big cathartic moment at the end. "I wanted it to feel dizzying and at times overwhelming so that there is a real sense of force and pressure on Bea, one that we can experience with her," continues McLaghlan, adding that match-cutting between each location required careful planning and precision."Of course that all goes out the window when you're on set and hours behind. At that moment you're playing a game of chess with yourself on set, trying to think six steps ahead to save yourself a nightmare in the edit. Thankfully we had the best team helmed by my producer, Rhory Danniells, and DP, Léa Taillefer, without whom there would be no spark to this project."Léa pushed us to think big and cultivate a classic Hollywood look using classic Hollywood equipment (e.g. anamorphic 16mm and tungsten lighting) while Rhory made it all happen on a shoestring budget." Ultimately, it's brilliant showcase of creative cinematography and sharp direction, with Bea's performance as the anchor for the entire concept.
Rob Ulitski - 24th Sept 2026
Electronic duo Boy Harsher take the club kids out of the club, and into a Harsher environment.The self-directed video for electro-banger Faulty captures a group of New York nightlife characters (Glam Alien, Goth Doll, Cowboy, Latex Angels 1 & 2, etc) in the incongruous setting of a small, sweltering apartment, with only a fan and an old TV (a regular Boy Harsher video device) for company.Supercool, sexy and beautifully shot on film by DoP Owen Smith Clark.
Promonews - 24th Sept 2026
Skepta storms back with a state-of-the-nation critique and a video by Aidan Zamiri - shot by Jake Gabbay - that brilliantly captures the sense of turmoil in the track.
Promonews - 23rd Sept 2026
Knucklehead have announced the UK and Amsterdam signing of director and photographer Lauren Luxenberg.London-based Luxenberg's work spans commercials, music videos, fashion films and personal projects, including Touching Ground, a multimedia project she created with skater RonnieWTF, which tells the story of Colombian city Medellín’s rebirth through the eyes of its skateboarding community.Her clients include Prada, Adidas, LVMH, Vogue, Nike, Audemars Piguet, Fila, Net a Porter, Universal Music, Uniqlo and Audi, and her subjects include Central Cee, Erling Haaland, Pa Salieu, Stormzy, Loyle Carner, Oasis, Mark Ronson, David Alaba and George Russell. Her music video portfolio includes promos for Youngs Teflon and KeepVibesNear.Luxenberg’s music videos have been awarded at Cannes World Film Festival, Plot Twist, Grito Montenegro, Thin Line and Faro Concurso de Cinema, and nominated at UKMVAs, Aesthetica and Hollyshorts, among others.Last year saw the London exhibition of In Power, a deeply personal series of eight short films that Luxenberg sums up as “the fragility of power” - a constant negotiation between empowerment and precarity in women’s lives. Shot across two days, they span thorny subjects from fertility to childhood emotional neglect, and how that can manifest in adult behaviours. The immersive exhibition was heightened via an ambient soundtrack by Baby Reindeer composer Nathan Coen and London jazz legend Mackwood.“I first saw Lauren’s work through Touching Ground and absolutely loved it," says Knucklehead’s MD Francis Mildmay-White. "There’s a real sensitivity and warmth to the way she shoots people, and her work feels fresh, energetic and exciting. She has an instinctive way of finding composition, light and movement that feels completely her own. I’m genuinely very happy she is becoming part of Knucklehead, and we are really excited to see where we can take things together.”Lauren Luxenberg adds: “When I met the Knucklehead team I immediately felt at home and part of the family, which is a rare feeling after eight years as an independent director. I’m incredibly excited to amplify my personal projects and to see where this journey takes us.”• Watch Lauren Luxenberg's reel at Knucklehead here
Promonews - 23rd Sept 2026
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