Ayana – the video

IF you’re watching Centric or BET television any time in the near future and chance upon a music video of a female R&B/soul artist whose voice sounds very familiar – just as familiar as the background scenery – get ready to blurt out: “Wait . . . dat is Ayana John?”   And you would be right.Plucked from the six-track album Royal Blue, Ayana chose the track Can’t Keep Up to add visuals to the sound. But fans will still have to wait a while before the official launch.“It’s all about a tug-o-war between two people caught in a relationship that’s heading downhill,” she said.The video was shot during the weekend of August 7, “somewhere in the Government Hill area”, which gave it a very rustic, Bajan feel. The featured location was actually the “second choice” – she was favouring Farley Hill National Park.The video features the first runner-up in the recent Island Queen pageant Jazz Goddard, who plays the “offended” outside woman, with male model Dwayne White taking on “significant other” duties.“Jazz is coming off a great season, and I thought it would be appropriate to use her.”The song and the video appeals mostly to young adults – those who are faced with similar relationship issues.The month-long production was indeed challenging for Ayana. “The most vital part of the production was communication. Every new idea meant a change; every change had to be communicated. Change in location meant change in wardrobe etcetera. “But amidst all that, we [we being director Phillip Arthur, Ayana and members of a media production company] still had to maintain the integrity of the song. The song is the main character, so everything else must conform.”A well thought out plan helped Ayana to avoid any financial challenges – keep in mind that a “basic” music video costs around $12 000 to produce.The 22-year-old vocalist said the video also introduces a “new” Ayana image. “An artiste never stops being an artist. Take Madonna for example. By retooling herself, both she and her music were able to stay relevant to fans. She can keep up with her fan base as it gets older and still appeal to a younger following.“I don’t want to left behind. This is progression; it is using what I’ve learnt and building on it. The core of Ayana remains, but it’s the peripheral stuff that changed.“You will be experiencing a musically mature Ayana.”