"The original idea for this clip included sushi," wrote Australian singer-songwriter Ali Barter in an email about "Hypercolour," her funny, food-centric new video. "I wanted to have businessmen eating sushi off Eric," who plays her hapless manager in the clip. The type of food was changed to Chinese, and it's eaten at tables, but the unrestrained, slightly nauseating means of consumption for a handful of lonely-looking corporate types stayed true to Barter's vision. The idea, she says, was "a comment on women being a piece of meat in the entertainment industry," which is compounded by her literal competition with food for her audience's attention.
But a pointed message doesn't get in the way of Barter's humor as she blasts through her lunchtime performance. "Hypercolour" is an effervescent pop song, well illustrated by the colorful disco balls spinning in the version of the concert she imagines giving. The bouncy attitude of the music adds further tongue-in-cheek appeal to the video, as her zest is apparently less compelling than mouthfuls of noodles. But no matter, Barter says: "This song is about not needing outside opinions to validate how awesome you are."
Ali Barter's next EP, AB-EP, comes out Sept. 4.
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