Kassi Ashton, one of the most compelling rising stars in Nashville, has today unveiled a haunting new music video for her song “Pretty Shiny Things.” The stylish piece features Kassi beautifully made up, lying on a stage surrounded by glass trinkets and mirrors, with a melancholic color palette that matches the emotional lyrics of the song. The lyrics depict the pressures young women face to be perfect on the outside, despite what they are experiencing on the inside.
PAPER Magazine premiered the video this morning, calling Kassi “the next big Country superstar” and dubbed “Pretty Shiny Things” as “a thing of beauty that aims to disguise a darker truth but ends up shining as a haunting beacon of hope.” Read Kassi’s interview with PAPER HERE and watch the video now HERE.
Filmed in Nashville, the music video was directed by Kristin Barlowe, with whom Kassi previously collaborated with for the music video for her song “Violins”. “Pretty Shiny Things” was first released on March 22 and was produced by Luke Laird and co-written by Kassi and Emily Landis. The track received critical acclaim from Taste of Country, The Boot, Rolling Stone, and TIMEwho lauded the song as “sweet and simple and, yes, a little bit heart-wrenching.”
“In our society, it feels like we’re forced to evaluate our reflection everywhere we turn, always waiting for a confirmation from someone else that we are enough,” says Ashton. “Putting that, and something so personal for me, into a visual is a weird task. I wanted it to feel real, not forced. Kristin Barlowe helped me so much in marrying what I wanted artistically with the real emotional monologue.”
About Kassi Ashton
Kassi Ashton brought a whole new attitude of her own to country music upon arrival in 2017. The California, Missouri singer and songwriter initially touched down with a string of critically acclaimed tracks. Released by UMG Nashville in conjunction with Interscope, her introductory release “California, Missouri” stirred up widespread critical acclaim from Taste of Country, CMT, The Boot, and many more. As her profile grew, she lent her voice to the standout “Drop Top” on Keith Urban’s chart-topping 2018 album, Graffiti U. He went on to describe her as “such a unique, original creature.” Expanding on her confessional and catchy storytelling, she maintained momentum on the summer solo song “Taxidermy.” Named “Who to Watch” by Huffington Post andThe Tennessean, radio personality Bobby Bones included her among his Class of 2018. Rolling Stone lauded her as “a devilish songwriter who isn’t afraid to flip convention on its head,” and Refinery29 also claimed, “she blends pop aesthetics with a presence doused in no-fucks-left-to-give authenticity.” She continues to defy convention and define a signature style on the 2019 singles “Violins,” “Pretty Shiny Things” —and a whole lot more to come.
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