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i had the really amazing opportunity to work with @misterwives on the visuals for their unbelievable brand new album, superbloom, and i think it’s so worthy of sharing & appreciating the genius of @mistermandylee's brain; a thread
superbloom is a totally fuckin’ heart-wrenching journey through mandy’s devastation, healing, and learning to love herself, and be loved again. treat yourself and listen along while you read my lil tweets. https://open.spotify.com/album/59f3BAKRdlWeaGTetnUPob?si=zrj0bVVlRc-Hvuzfd6YEPg
when she was in the trenches of heartbreak, mandy visited the superbloom in california last year and felt a vivid connection to the poppies thriving in the desert; a place where nothing is supposed to grow. she herself was in a desolate, sad place — she wanted to bloom, too.
her connection to the actually poppies ran deep… generations deep — mandy’s mother collected and dried poppies in spain with her own mother, each of which have had tremendous resolve in overcoming hardships in their own lives.
but poppies aren’t all fun and games my friends. remember wiz-o-oz? that huge dickhead the wicked witch of the west decided a great trick would be to curse beautiful poppies to be poisonous, and deadly to whoever ventures into the poppy fields (bioterrorism, much?)
so much imagery around the album represents waking up in a field of poppies — being poisoned and falling asleep but persevering and continuing to wake up and move forward every step of the way. in fact, every music video has opened with a shot of mandy waking up among poppies.
more nods to dorothy’s journey through oz can be found throughout the album. the ruby red “slippers” mandy wears in “the end” music video, the rainbow road as a play on the yellow brick road; a path with a destination of happiness. many more, honestly.
another key component of the imagery is the iridescent portal on the album cover. the doorway with poppies spilling out represents the other side of superbloom; growth, self-love, progress, and a glimmer of hope in a very dark place.
mandy absolutely fucking shines in gorgeous custom-made pieces by lisa hoang. one featuring hundreds of hand-stitched poppies.
together we all made some of my favorite images i've ever shot and the project as a whole was the most creatively rewarding process
s'more
anyway, put your seatbelt, cause this album is cry - cry - cry - cry- cry less - i’m ok - no i’m not - i wanna smash stuff - i’m ok now - i can love myself - superbloom!
really hope you listen. it's my favorite album of 2020 and a resounding story for our current moment on earth
really hope you listen. it's my favorite album of 2020 and a resounding story for our current moment on earth
all of the respect and love to @JadeEhlers, @tim_toda , @kayyhahn, and so, so many more who helped mandy’s vision come to life. lucky x 1000% to be a part of this beautiful thing. thanks 4 readin'.
