The teaser for John Mayer’s “New Light” video was about as appropriate as any teaser has ever been. Yesterday, he posted a brief clip announcing that he’d be releasing a video for the song today, and the clip features on-screen text that reads, “Every once in a while a song comes along so powerful it requires a music video… fast. Like really fast. Where literally anything is better than nothing. Is it good? Define ‘good.’ Is it content? You’re damn right it’s content.”
Tomorrow. ✨ pic.twitter.com/XPX3cHFoYo
— John Mayer (@JohnMayer) May 23, 2018
Now the video is out, and when he shared it this morning, he further played up its low quality level, writing on Twitter, “I needed to make a video for ‘New Light’ but nobody could agree on a budget. (MUSIC INDUSTRY amirite?) So I went to a place downtown and made this with a company that usually does birthday and Bar Mitzvah videos.” Watching the video, it doesn’t look like Mayer way lying about just having it done at some place downtown, and it’s delightful.
Wearing a raggedy purple hoodie with baggy, ankle-high, blue-striped pants, Mayer stands in front of a green screen and “travels the world.” He walks in place in front of a barn, hangs out at a ski resort, drives to Malibu, and waves at copy of himself while hanging out with a zebra, among other unrealistic-looking things. It’s a silly clip that’s ultimately a good pairing for the song, a laid-back tune (co-produced by No I.D.) with a pleasant, relaxed rhythm.
Watch the “New Light” video above.
