Behind The Scenes: APOLINARA - Shadows And Signs (Official Video)

Let me tell you a story about “Shadows and Signs”. That’s the opening line on my debut album, and “Shadows and Signs” is the title song. That’s why it was only logical to release a video for this song. Who doesn’t love stories? We are different, and so are our stories. Let me tell you mine. I believe that we all have a mission to fulfill, a battle to face, a dream to build. And this Path lies “to the Light through a Darkness”. This journey is uncertain, shady, and full of signs and temptations. What is the prize, one can ask? The inner peace for me, but this is my personal answer. Prizes and prices to be paid are different. Each Warrior of Light fights their own lurking demons.

I’m a huge fan of Tim Burton’s gothic themes. That was the source of inspiration for my look and outfit – messy hair, raven feather clothes elements along with dark “feather-like” patterns make-up, corset, leather, and mesh.

The video has two main settings. The first one - “red” - was shot under the leafless fig tree to continue the gothic atmosphere. The second one – “blue”- was made inside the greenhouse of my friend’s garden.

In 2007 in Kyiv, Ukraine there was an installation I visited. It’s called – “Blind Light” by Antony Gormley. When I asked myself how I wanted to show the Warrior of Light Path, I remembered the feeling inside that mist room. So, I decided – that’s it - I need to fill the glass chamber with smoke. But how and most importantly where? Suddenly I remembered seeing the glass greenhouse in my friends’ backyard, in North Carolina. For my greatest joy, they agreed to sacrifice their backyard for the whole video shoot. Actually, the camerawoman, hair stylist, and make-up artists are also my friends. The video was edited and produced by my sister. That’s the most valuable conclusion of this story – People are Everything. For an independent artist having people along your side who trust in you, help you, and create together with you – that’s the biggest reward!

“Shadows and Signs” is a lyric video because I put a lot of my personal ideas and beliefs into this song. Besides that, those words came to me into a new meaning dimension after the war in Ukraine started. "To the Light through a Darkness" - that's my message, my manifest of the Warrior of Light. No matter how dark and shady it gets, we can always read the Signs from Destiny, choose the Light, and carry this Fire into our hearts.

Video shooting - Almira Koshkina

Video editing - Anna Levchenko

Sound production - Max Morton