Exciting news! I’ve officially released my new music video for my original song, “Secretly Admire.” The song is featured on my Evergreen EP and is one of my favorites because of the beautiful string instrument tracks including the violin and cello. When I released my EP in 2020, I had dreamed of eventually filming a music video for “Secretly Admire” so that I could bring to life its melancholy and melodramatic essence. This past summer, I finally had that chance! 🤗
I worked with Toby Moon Productions once again to film my music video. They also produced my first music video for my original song, “Destined,” which envisions my “happily-ever-after” ending. Whereas, my song “Secretly Admire” expresses my “not-so-happy” ending. Might as well represent both sides of the spectrum! ❤️/ 💔
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| This picture reminds me of when I played Belle in my high school musical and had to pretend to read all the time. 📚 |
Unlike my first music video, I decided not to include any clips of me lip syncing for “Secretly Admire,” so that the story unfolding between the four characters would have all of the focus. I wanted my narrative to be set in a historical era, and Toby Moon Productions suggested the Victorian Era. I was all for it, knowing that the violin and cello were common instruments in Romantic compositions from the early 1800s to the 1850s.
I have been an admirer (not secretly 😉) of all things Victorian ever since I started watching the BBC series Victoria (I’ve watched the whole series twice now). I further developed my appreciation for the Victorian Era through my volunteer work at the Jefferson Township Museum, also known as the George Chamberlain House. The house was built in the 1870s by Amos Chamberlain as a wedding gift to his son, George, and daughter-in-law, Ruth Elizabeth.
Dressing up in full Victorian attire is part of my role as a docent at the museum, so I wanted to wear the same dresses for my Victorian music video. Most of my music video was filmed inside the museum, so I hope you enjoy getting a look at the Victorian parlor, dining room and upstairs when you watch it.
My music video's fictional narrative of unrequited love overlaps 4 minutes of emotional vocals combined with lively string instruments and percussion. The filming process lasted 3 days, over the span of a weekend back in early August. I chose to release the video on Halloween since it would be an easy release date for people to remember, and also because my video features a cast in full Victorian costume which goes along perfectly with the spirit of dressing up in costumes on Halloween!
It was a joy to have my sister join the cast; ironically, she played as my sister on-screen so it wasn’t hard for us to portray our sisterly bond. The other actors featured in my video regularly act in the plays and musicals at the Dover Little Theatre. Our first day of filming was at the theatre where we filmed the family portrait scene and had each cast member photographed in black and white portraits to mimic the wet plate photography of the Victorian Era. Our next two days of filming took place inside the Jefferson Township Museum. The interior of the museum is designed as an interpretation of life in the last quarter of the 1800s, reflecting how the Chamberlains, the original family, might have lived during that period of time. It was the perfect set for my Victorian narrative, and I enjoyed getting to create something meaningful and personal to me in a place where I have lovingly volunteered as a musician and tour guide over the years.
Produced by Toby Moon Productions
Director: Christopher Stokes
Writer: Elizabeth Smith
Editor: Dan Whitehead
Director of Photography: Angel Fajardo
Assistant Camera: Ben Carolan
Key Grip: Kyle J. Whitehead
Production Assistant: Nick Parada
Costume Designers: Dianna Filan and Tara Howanice
Actors: Madison Taylor, McKenna Brown, Eric Najimian, Kevin Seaver
Filmed at Dover Little Theatre and the Jefferson Township Museum
© 2021 Madison Taylor
Official “Secretly Admire” Lyrics
Written by Madison Taylor
I wrote a letter and sent it out to the wind
Hoping that it'd find you
Somehow, I knew it reached your hands
But it never found your heart
Oh taker of my soul
You will never know, you will never know
Oh stealer of my soul
You will never know that I secretly admire you
I called your name out in a crowd
But the sound lost hope and faded out
I grew long tired of the night
Cause you were all I could think about
Oh taker of my soul
You will never know, you will never know
Oh stealer of my soul
You will never know that I secretly admire you
You will never know that I secretly admire you
And when I smile at you, I am filled with fear
That you might somehow never reappear
And when I smile at you, I shed many tears
Cause I know that I've wasted all these years
And when I smile at you, I am filled with fear
That you might somehow never reappear
And when I smile at you, I shed many tears
Cause I know that I've wasted all these years
Pining over you
You will never know that I secretly admire you
I wrote a letter and sent it out to the wind
Hoping that it'd find you
Somehow, I knew it reached your hands
But it never found your heart
© 2021 Madison Taylor Music (BMI). All Rights Reserved.
Enjoy the following behind-the-scene shots captured by Dan Whitehead throughout our 3 days of filming:
DAY ONE
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| The director, Christopher Stokes |
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| Dan Whitehead's imitation of wet plate photography |
DAY TWO
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| Day 2 and 3 of filming were set in the Jefferson Township Museum |
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| Most of my music video was filmed using the Sony PXW-FX9 camera |
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| Film captured by Dan Whitehead's MamiyaRB67 and HP5 400 |
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| The whole cast and crew (minus Kevin because he was not need for day three of filming!) |
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