Single/Video Review: Manifesto

Christchurch-based pop artist Michele Ducray releases her sophomore single Manifesto, complete with slick video clip produced by Shae Sterling, courtesy of NZ On Air. This dark and intriguing track opens in a foreboding room, filled with polaroid pictures hung on strings, and a somewhat disturbed-seeming character sitting on a step, alone.

The song bursts into life utilising an effective pre-delay on the vocals that wooshes in, and gives the intro a kind-of mystical, spooky atmosphere … “I feel him creeping up on the window …” I’m getting Billie Eilish vibes. The scene is set.

As the pre-chorus builds, a more sassy and seductive character works the camera like a boss. The tension rises to its apex in the chorus, as a slightly twisted scene unfolds on screen. The chorus is upbeat and catchy and has a real club dance-track vibe. And with its slick production it would certainly be at home in any club or EDM event.

Manifesto drops back into halftime for the second verse, building into the pre-chorus and chorus again, which feels a little rinse and repeat, but the core of the song is suspense and drama, so I get why Ducray has done it that way. It might have been good to bring in some variation of the beat to keep the dancefloor pumping, perhaps. But that’s just me.

The bridge is dark and suspenseful, and leads us into a breakdown with a twist; the point that the hunter becomes the hunted. And the person we thought was vulnerable, is actually the one with twisted motives. Yeah, it’s a bit of a tired trope, but young people still think it’s edgy I guess?

Ducray performs really well in the clip and clearly has some great acting skills and is comfortable in front of the camera, and not to mention also has a gorgeous voice with beautiful tones, depth, and subtleties. I would love to see her come into her own as an artist, as she grows in her own creativity and sense of personal originality. Well done on all the work that has been put into this project, it’s a great result.