Dreaming Of: Phoebe Green's Music Video Debut

By Erin Christie

Manchester singer-songwriter Phoebe Green carries an 80s-style swagger like a debutante, which has allowed her to become one of the freshest faces within the “indie-sphere” as of late. On March 29, Green released her comeback single, “Dreaming Of,” following the announcement that she had signed with independent label, Chess Club Records (home of artists such as MØ, Sundara Karma, and Alfie Templeman). Needless to say, it’s been a busy past few months for Green and the buzz is justified.

Continuing the frenzy, the charming music video for her comeback single was released via The FADER on May 28.

By journalistic standards, writing about your friends’ projects is probably on the riskier side out of fear of bias. With Phoebe Green in mind, though, I can safely say that I would happily support her whether we had bonded over Panic! at the Disco on Twitter or not.

When thinking about the next “big thing” in music, the answer seems clear: the future lies in the musical prowess and instrumental talent that young women worldwide possess. An unfortunate truth, however, is that girls of all genres have continued to face ridicule and have faced existence without being shown the recognition that they deserve. Though Green has combatted this, too, it’s undoubtedly her time to enter the limelight.

Since her debut record, 02:00 AM, was self-released in 2016, I have found myself circling back to her haunting melodies like a moth to a streetlamp. Blinded by her flickering warmth, it was impossible for me to avoid becoming hypnotized. My awe of her is only further cemented with “Dreaming Of” and its accompanying video.

When asked about the video’s conception, Green said: “It was a complete collaboration between Harvey [Frost], the director, and I. We wanted a retro teen vibe that was semi-ironic, but also that suited my general aesthetic and was fun and cool.” With those goals in mind, it can safely be said that she and Frost went above and beyond. The video for “Dreaming Of” combines picturesque elements such as poppy color-blocking aesthetics, funhouse mirrors, dream-like seas of fog, and other quirks that filmmakers such as the pastel-drenched Wes Anderson and pinnacle teen flick icon, John Hughes, would be proud of. From a visual perspective, this video is absolutely stunning, going perfectly hand-in-hand with Green’s bubbly and bold persona.

On the set of the “Dreaming Of” music video

The track itself is angst-ridden, as cliché as that descriptor may be. As she described in her interview with The FADER, “Dreaming Of” was written as a tongue-in-cheek commentary on our current world’s tendency to force people to censor themselves to fit into certain molds: “I no longer want to dumb myself down or be a lesser version of myself so that I’m easier to digest,” Green said. This trend appears to be especially prevalent among young women in any creative field. It’s as if women choosing to exist and express themselves in any way that they choose are placing a detriment on their character. Rather, as Green says, we shouldn’t allow people to claim control over how one can simply “be.”

Along with this idea, Green opens “Dreaming Of” by demanding, “You don’t get to choose what makes me blue/ I don’t want to compromise myself for you.” Whether a specific “you” or the universal “you,” no one should have the power to control any aspect of what makes you, you.

Green, now past the insecurities and vulnerabilities that all of us surely face as we grow older, is ready to own her autonomy, smile on her face and glitter on her eyelids. Separating from her 18-year-old self’s 02:00AM—a largely emotional record, delving into darker, melancholic adolescent themes—now 21, Green appears to be heading in a much more empowered, electrically-charged direction. It’s a good look on her!

As a friend, I’ve personally seen Green’s potential from the gate (even if we’re separated by a few thousand miles and the Atlantic Ocean). For listeners anywhere, it should be clear to see that we have a budding starlet on our hands.

Just recently, Green got off tour with label-mates, Sundara Karma, and she is about to embark on a small tour of her own: buy tickets here.