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Jan 05, 2022 By Caleb Campbell Photography by Bethany Blanton

Van Plating got her start back in the 2000s indie boom, playing violin and singing in her band Pemberley. After the outfit imploded she spent the next nine years away from music, returning in 2019 with her self-titled solo debut. Late last year she followed with her sophomore solo record, The Way Down, bolstering her Lilith Fair folk and Americana stylings by returning to her indie roots. Today she’s back with a new video for one of the record’s highlights, “New York,” premiering with Under the Radar.

“New York” sees those indie influences take to the forefront, with twinkling synth melodies and chugging guitar chords driving the track forward. The combination creates a shimmering backdrop to Plating’s vocals, capturing the marriage of dusty Americana and indie rock that is at her music’s core. Meanwhile, the accompanying video visualizes that same pull between dark and light, with flashing lights punctuating the video’s intimate close-ups.

As Plating explains, “I really wanted to do something different for ‘New York’ than what I’d done in the rest of my recent music videos for The Way Down. One day I was scrolling my socials, and a photographer I really enjoy, Chad Cochran (Cowtown Chad), posted a music video he’d done for another Americana artist I like a lot—Tim Easton. It was for his single “You Don’t Really Know Me,” and I loved how it was nostalgic/charming but also kind of gritty/up close, all at the same time. I was already planning to do a portrait shoot with Chad while I was in Nashville for AmericanaFest, so I sent him a message basically saying that my budget was tiny but if he was interested in shooting the video for this single (after he heard the song), I’d be honored and excited to work with him.

Immediately we began discussing ideas for a sort of gritty, 80s inspired ode to the indie clubs in New York. Think: Blondie or Talking Heads, but shot with just two cameras. He ordered some rad party lights, I brought my favorite sequins and my lipstick red cowgirl hat. We spent a cold, sunny morning in his Airbnb in Nashville playing around with lights and angles. The artistic direction, all the enthusiasm and forethought Chad brought to the shoot really brought this song to life. I am ecstatic with the result! It’s so much fun and I feel like it really captures my indie-roots mashup vibe perfectly. I’m an indie rocker who grew up on roots music. This video looks and sounds like me.”

Check out the song and video below. The Way Down is out everywhere now.