Video: Theodore Releases Hal Ashby-Influenced Music Video for Art-Pop Single 'The Big Rip'

Theodore has released his new track "The Big Rip," along with its corresponding music video. The video features the beloved actress Maria Aliferi, the award-winning Dimitra Vlagopoulou (ANIMAL, 2023), and Theodore himself, who appears on a music video of his for the first time. 

The main inspiration for the track is the theory of the universe's end, the “Big Rip", suggesting that if the universe continues to expand at an accelerating rate, it will eventually reach a point where all forces holding it together are overcome by dark energy.  "Reading about this phenomenon made me reflect on life itself and how sometimes when things collapse, it's pointless to try to hold them together." Theodore explains. "Sometimes the structures in our minds will crumble, and we just have to accept it."

In contrast to the bleak cosmological theory of the Big Rip, Theodore chooses to give it a more optimistic tone, perhaps writing his most pop-oriented track yet, enriching his alternative sound with more upbeat, electropop sounds.

Simultaneously, under the guidance of director Kostis Theodosopoulos, he stars in the music video, which depicts a surreal ceremony blurring the lines between marriage and funeral, between reality and fantasy. 

"Detecting the subtle irony behind the lyrics of 'The Big Rip', I was transported associatively to the cinema of Hal Ashby (Harold and Maude, Being There)," Theodosopoulos recalls. "I remembered 'Life is a State of Mind' playing off-camera as Mr. Chance walks on the surface of the lake, dipping the nose of his umbrella into the water. And I thought that perhaps in a parallel universe somewhere nearby, Maude is waiting for him, having just escaped her own funeral, smiling defiantly as she revs her motorcycle. Along with them, Theodore - like another Harold - with his burgundy accordion and trippy gaze, gives an unaffected rhythm to this bittersweet farce that will never end."

As Maria Aliferi puts it, "The concept of the video is pioneering, modern, clever, cute, and disruptive. It's about a whimsical dead woman who resurrects and leaves because she's too kooky to stay."

For Dimitra Vlagopoulou, the role she portrays is the most tragicomic character of the story, something she found very charming. "It's a surreal funeral with something playful, revolutionary, and funny at the same time. A dead bride has a big surprise for the guests at her funeral. Or is it her wedding? A discordant farewell performance, a mysterious guest watches from afar, a resurrection, and of course, the bouquet tossed into the air for the next lucky one.

"Two ceremonies for life and death become one with the bouquet, a relay that must never fall. The concept narrates something dual, sweet-bitter and romantic together, where fantasy seems to deceive reality and make everything a little more beautiful, lighter, more dreamlike. The same playful and lighthearted mood is evoked by Theodore's Big Rip. This song is like a conspiratorial wink, like a crooked smile."

About Theodore

Alternative rock artist Theodore is a songwriter and producer whose sound stands between synth pop and post rock, blended with strong cinematic elements. Swelling and crashing like ocean tides, his arrangements move from the quietest, most intimate moments to expansive soundscapes with pop melodies and electronic sensibilities.  

A philosophy nerd and a pop science enthusiast, his lyrics and concepts stem from his need to explore existential and ethical questions. He loves creating songs as stories or fairytales and reenacting them in unique energetic and mystagogic concerts, with extraordinary light shows and visuals.  

Originally from Athens, Theodore has spent the last several years touring the US and Europe. His live show at SXSW caught the attention of Bob Boilen, who personally picked him for an NPR Tiny Desk performance. He has also performed at Reeperbahn (Germany), Eurosonic (Netherlands), Primavera Pro (Barcelona), Europavox Festivals (Clermont-Ferrand, Bologna, Vienna, Zagreb, Bucharest as band of the month), and has shared the stage with the likes of Sigur Rós and DIIV.  

Theodore has released a total of four studio records, each melding accessibility and warmth with richness and depth. His latest conceptual album, The Voyage (2022), delves into the existential with intricate, electronic soundscapes. Entering his 30s, he is trying to get over his pop guilt, and in his 2024 upcoming releases he is composing and writing more spontaneously, trusting more his creative instincts and trying to fight his tendency to overanalyze.

Credit : Foteini Zaglara

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