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Jessie Ware 'Ride' by Thomas James

David Knight - 9th Mar 2026

Jessie Ware channels her inner horsewoman - with leading actor James Norton as her willing steed - in Thomas James' steamy and atmospheric video for Ride.

Featuring an interpolation of the main theme from classic spaghetti western The Good, The Bad & The Ugly, the song certainly lends itself to having a cowboy-based video. But under Thomas James's direction, this takes an untypical turn, and certainly puts Jessie in control: Norton rides into Jessie's life, on white horse Caravan, but she asserts a majestic presence, and he becomes more submissive.

With a moody cinematic monochrome pallette shot by Natasha Duursma, this sees Jessie the disco diva making a leftfield move into an aesthetic that Thomas James has perfected working for hellraising rock-based acts and iconoclastic rappers like Kneecap. And it pays off, in adding another dimension to her mystique. 

"The video is fully about Jessie and James - and their pretty stellar performances," says James. "Twisting perhaps, expectations of the handsome alpha cowboy.

"They approached the project really wanting to push perceptions. We had a lot of rehearsal, and the guys were very keen to improvise... It was quite a liberating shoot, just rolling with the spontaneity. I think their on-screen chemistry, and there trust in each other, is what makes it what it is."

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David Knight - 9th Mar 2026

Tags

  • Director's notes
  • Pick of the Day
  • Performance
  • Disco
  • Pop
  • Dance

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Credits

Production/Creative

Director
Thomas James
Producer
Production Company
Artclass Content
Executive Producer
Sam Holmes
Production Manager
Scarlet Green
1st AD
Chris Malin
2nd AD
Sam Fullerton
Production Assistant
Momo Abu Zard
Location Manager
James Khoury
Head Of New Business
Emma Horgan
AD Runner
Rene Rehak, Oscar Maher
Runner Driver
Owen Taylor
Runner
Jack Elliott
BTS
Luka McGhie
Medic
Elton Alexander

Camera

Director of Photography
Natasha Duursma
Focus Puller
Toby Mckay
2nd AC
Leo Westcott
Camera Trainee
Lottie Lunn
Drone Op
Barney Clark
Playback Op
Dayo Olufemi

Lighting/Grip

Gaffer
Tom Nowell
Spark
Dan Svilenov, Milo Sharpe

Art

Production designer
Syd Harmony
Art Assistant
Darcy Norgan, Joe Harrison

Wardrobe

Hair (Artist)
Patrick Wilson
Make-up (Artist)
Francesca Brazzo
Wardrobe
Ella Lucia
Costume Assistant
Rain Gilani, Lola Turner
James Norton Groomer
Petra Sellege
James Norton Grooming Assistant
Anni Rademacher

Choreography

Movement Director
Benjamin Johnsson

Casting

Lead actor
James Norton
Stunt (Lasso On Fire)
Simon Ratzker
Horse Handler
The Devils Horseman, Rebecca Hora
Body Double
Edward Creamer
Horse
Caravan

Editorial

Editor
Tom Gilfillan
Editor
Luke Spencer
Editing company
The Shop

Grading

Colourist
Nathaniel Skeels
Colour grade company
The Shop
Clean Up
Ewan McIntosh

Agent

Director's Representation

Commission

Commissioner
Label
EMI Records
Label
Benj Cullen
Fascination Management
Peter Lorraine, Sarah Jackson, Tully Bloom.

David Knight - 9th Mar 2026

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