Earlier this month local artist MNLV (AKA Hannah Mairead) released a new music video to “saffianscriptures,” a single off her in-progress, dystopian album Into the Ministry.
Earlier this month local artist MNLV (AKA Hannah Mairead) released a new music video to “saffianscriptures,” a single off her in-progress, dystopian album Into the Ministry.
MNLV is the founding member of the local music collective B.CKWARDS HAUS OPS, a group that has been receiving growing notoriety for their experimental harmonies in the Richmond house show scene.
MNLV wrote “saffrianscriptures” as an homage to her first notebook, which she made in 5th grade as part of a school project. Her teacher, Mrs. Orlovsky, emphasized the physicality of her students journals and encouraged them to express themselves through both the cover and contents of their diaries.
“I kind of wrote before that, I think I always had an inclination towards that, but it was really after that year that I just constantly wrote,” said MNLV. “It was the beginning of a romance that has lasted me the rest of my life.”
MNLV still has that velvet-bound text, which is featured towards the end of the music video, where she can be seen casually genuflecting with it.
“I feel like this book was this scripture that sired kind of the rest of my creative life as a writer, because I think of myself as a writer more than a lyricist or a songwriter,” MNLV said.
“saffrainscriptures” was written and recorded by MNLV and the instrumentals were produced by her partner Yoki, the Casual Wzrd. The music video was shot and edited by Felix Mkay, a personal friend and aspiring professional videographer.
“He’s an artist consistently putting out his vision and working with others to bring their vision to life. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to resurrect what I wanted ‘saffianscriptures’ to look like,” said MNLV.
The project was shot in a single day at the gardens of Maymont Park and in MNLV’s old apartment on Cherry St. Several members of B.CKWARDS HAUS OPS are featured in the video, including Chii, Jake Barkley, and Shaheed Chambers in addition to her friend and former roommate Shawn Knowles.
MNLV’s black flowing cape provides a sharp contrast to the bright visage of sprawling, groomed gardens, and in the Cherry St shots her white lace dress contrasts the demonic, fiery vibe of the room’s decorum. The dark, witchy video visibly vibrates with the pulsating bass and flips from green to red tinted footage in time with the beat.
“I think this video is adding to the visual representation of my art. there’s still a lot of very heavily saturated colors, specifically focusing on red and green just as that very like stop and go motif.”
The release of “Into the Ministry” has been postponed for the moment, but MNLV is currently working on a new album called “Pisser” with guitarist Nicholas Capsalis.
Visit MNLV’s Soundcloud to hear more from one of RVAMag’s favorite artists.
