Chris DeLine

Singled Out is a feature focusing on the stories behind a song, as told by the artists behind their creation. In this edition, Mango discusses the music video for his song “Hard to Hide.” Shot and produced by Cedar Rapids‘ Young Creatives, the video combines live and road shots in creating a narrative that reflects the song’s lyrical focus on striving for more while maintaining a connection to oneself. In this Q&A, Mango discusses this overlap between the lyrics and visuals, how the Young Creatives collaboration developed, and some of what he’s learned thus far on his own journey.

villin: How did you get connected with Young Creatives and what made them a good fit for a song like “Hard To Hide”?

Mango: I’ve known of Young Creatives since I started making music. I remember being a young artist, fresh in the Iowa City scene and their work blew me away. Their look is very professional and I knew they would be a great fit when it came to the video. I trusted Young Creatives’ vision when it came down to how they saw “Hard To Hide.” It was extremely easy to collaborate with them and I’m looking forward to the next opportunity we have together.

villin: Where was the show footage shot and was the intention for that footage to be used in a video like this?

Mango: The performance shot was in Cedar Rapids at Iowa Summer Jam this past July. During our brainstorming session we knew we had to get a Summer Jam shot in there. The crowd was amazing and actually helped me get nominated for Summer Jam performance of the year at the Iowa Music Awards.

villin: The song relates thoughts about trying to find your way, tracking alongside visuals of a literal breakdown on the side of the road. Conceptually, is there a connection between the visuals and the song’s lyrics and what were you hoping the video communicated?

Mango: There is a 100% connection with what you saw on the video and my lyrics. Being in the music industry is very difficult; it’s easy to feel burnt out and down on yourself to the point where you can lose sight of your ultimate goal, whatever that may be. I wanted the video to represent that it’s almost impossible to hide from those feelings, no matter what you try.

The idea behind the video was that I was on tour with a couple of my homies and outside looking in, I was living my dream life of being a touring artist. But, even with all the success, I was still struggling to find peace within myself and my art. I’m grateful that Young Creatives shot my first professional video and I’m happy I chose “Hard to Hide.”

For more from Mango, follow his work on Instagram, or listen to “Hard to Hide” on Apple Music and Spotify.

[This article was first published by villin.]