In the years that have followed the release of her debut record, So What, in 2017, Laryssa Birdseye has been going nonstop: playing shows around the Portland area, taking her songs on tour, and most importantly, working hard on a stellar follow-up record.
The first taste of this new era came with the single “Never Have Children” back in July, a very personal ballad exploring the ending of a beloved relationship. With the rest of the EP, dubbed Press Play and released in late October, Birdseye continues to cover this tender topic.
Last week, Laryssa Birdseye gave us a new look into Press Play with a music video for its titular song, heavily inspired by the song’s upbeat 80s melody and the movies of John Hughes.
“‘Press Play’ was the first song I wrote for the whole [EP],” Birdseye says. “I was fed up with the relationship I was in and was writing a lot of melancholy songs. [“Press Play”] was more like I was irritated, but it was also kind of empowering. It ended up being upbeat and poppy, and I think because of that, it was easy to write a concept for the video that wasn’t as personal, but just for fun.”
The music video was shot in the span of a day at Portland staple Music Millennium.
“I always had this idea of filming in a record store,” says Birdseye. “I sent [Music Millenium owner] Terry Currier an email this summer, and he was kind enough to let me use his space.”
The record store acts as the perfect setting for the classic 80s-inspired story the video tells. Birdeye plays an employee at the store who is crushing on one of her coworkers and attempts to hand him a mixtape titled “Press Play.” Every time she tries, though, another girl is there to block her path. As she tries to gain the attention of her crush, her best friend, George, stands by her side for support, the perfect choice always overlooked.
“It’s very cliché,” Birdseye says. But the cliché of it all is what makes “Press Play” so lovable, fun and a perfect source of the nostalgia she aimed for from the get-go.
