Patrick Watson Unveils New Video For 'Can't Stop Staring At The Sun'

Today, Patrick Watson unveils a new video for the song "Can't Stop Staring at the Sun," from his three-part single A Mermaid in Lisbon. Directed and choreographed by Jacob Jonas, the video stars dancers Anthony Bryant, Gianinni Semedo Moreira, and Nicolas Walton.

"During the lockdown I was really inspired and watching a lot of modern dance videos. 'Can't Stop Staring at the Sun' felt like it was a dance piece from the beginning. I was already collaborating with Jacob Jonas on another project, so I asked him if he could make me a dance video. I gave him the song and he came back with this beautiful piece," explains Watson.

Jacob Jonas shares the inspiration behind the video: "Our truest vulnerabilities are amplified when seen. The exposure to the light allows a witness to observe. The sun returns each day. Nature's way to remind us to start again. We are scheduled by brightness. When dark, we are illuminated by the artificial. This narrative is about man's dependence of sunlight and without it, he is caught." He adds "There's a strange satisfaction of staring at the sun. The attraction to something you're not supposed to be attracted to. It's intense, surreal and lucid. This video explores what's real versus what's imagined through fear."

A Mermaid in Lisbon, which came out in May, is the latest release by Patrick Watson, featuring Teresa Salgueiro and the Attacca Quartet.

"The inspiration for these three pieces came the last time I was walking the streets of Lisbon. It's my favourite place to wander. It just generally feels like the streets are singing this wonderful melancholic sound for your walk, that pulls you into small winding roads, that make you feel like you'll get lost and never return. Hence the mermaid title. It's an incredible place and it was the one place in the world I missed most during the quarantine."

Jacob Jonas is a director, choreographer, photographer and Creative Director of Jacob Jonas The Company. Jacob's work has reached global audiences, in an effort to make the medium of dance more visible and valued. Jacob engages in non-traditional collaborations and has worked with artists including Kanye West, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Emmanuel Lubezki, and Vanessa Beecroft. Jonas' choreography has been presented at the Kennedy Center, Hollywood Bowl, and Lincoln Center. He has collaborated with brands including Nike, James Perse, Sony, and The Getty Museum. His films have been selected as Vimeo Staff Pick Best of the Month, premiered on Nowness, written about in The New York Times and will be presented at the 2021 La Biennale in Venice, Italy. Jacob founded his company in 2014 with partner Jill Wilson and lighting designer Will Adashek.

Patrick Watson composes, performs and records his albums with his full band, which includes Joe Grass (guitar), Evan Tighe (drums), Mishka Stein (bass). The recipients of Canada's Polaris Music Prize, in addition to multiple JUNO and Polaris nominations, Watson and his band have toured on all continents, on occasion playing with full orchestras to bring their rich music to life. Venues for their tour dates last February and March of 2020 were the largest yet, including the Barbican (London), L'Olympia (Paris), Coliseu (Lisbon), El Plaza Condesa (Mexico City), and more. Raised and still living in Montreal, Watson has composed several scores for both film and television, including a trailer for The Walking Dead and Wim Wenders' 3D film Everything Will Be Fine.

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