Connect with us

Music

Sun King Rising Releases Official Music Video For “Free Will In China Blue”

To accompany the nationwide radio release of his single, “Free Will in China Blue,” Sun King Rising has also released the song’s official music video.

Drawn from his debut album, “Delta Tales,” and directed by Dante Ludovici, the video is a visually spectacular feast of the Sun King Rising Band performing the song in a studio setting with dancer Meghan Greenwood playing the role of “The Temptress.” It also features aerial footage of the artist performing the song on a picturesque farm that serves as the ostensible setting of the story.

Sun King Rising’s John Blangero said, “Director Dante Ludovici has ably captured my cinematic vision of the story and its underlying tension, with the lovely Meghan Greenwood dancing and entrancing throughout the story, costumed in a flowing China blue dress. Produced and filmed in Pittsburgh, the day was a total blast, with most of the SKR Studio Band who played on the ‘Free Will’ single and on the upcoming ‘Signs & Wonders’ album performing the song in the video.”

This song itself has been garnering 5-star reviews around the world. “The record sounds freakin’ fantastic…tons of personality, tons of charisma, the vocals are beyond brilliant, and his entire sound, style, and vibe are massively memorable,” wrote one critic.

Recorded live in a studio just outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, “Free Will in China Blue” features a full complement of A-List horn players, backup singers, and studio players. No loops, no samples, no autotune. This is true of the entire 11-song album.

Watch “Free Will In China Blue” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtjvHmhsoXo.

Advertisement

The creation of songwriter/singer John Blangero of Port Isabel, Texas, who composed most of its songs, and produced by Pittsburgh’s Ace Acker, the single and the album strongly evoke the imagery and feel of a somewhat mythical, yet very real land centered in the fabled area along the Mississippi River called “The Delta.” If William Faulkner and Tennessee Williams had been songwriters, they might have written songs much like those of Sun King Rising.

Filmed largely in a Pittsburgh, PA studio, the video metaphorically tells the song’s tale of temptation, sin, and redemption through the sensual interaction of Blangero and Greenwood, accompanied by the 10-piece Sun King Rising Band.

Video Production Credits:
Steve Acker: Line Producer Sun King Rising
Production Design/Management: The Video Standard, LLC
Dante Ludovici: Director/DP/DIT/LD Sequencing/Editor/CGI
Daniel McMullen: Jib Operator
Thomas Vandevander: Key Grip/Camera/BTS
Ryan Peters: Motion Control Camera/ First AC
Andi Smalley: HMU

Website: https://www.sunkingrising.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SunKingRising
Bandcamp: https://peacocksunriserecords.com/project/sun-king-rising/
PSR: https://peacocksunriserecords.com/sun-king-rising/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/3VYK4IV3S5JS6m2y8D9Q1y

Advertisement

Artist Spotlight

personalheartbreaker and ENCASSATOR unpack manipulation, obsession and remorse on “Sorry Eyed”

personalheartbreaker

“Sorry Eyed” is a dark shoegaze and alternative rock ballad by personalheartbreaker and ENCASSATOR that explores the space between obsession, emotional dependence, manipulation, and remorse. The new single slowly reveals how reliance is a form of oppression, not just weakness. The result is a psychologically complex song that pulls you into a relationship where trust and exploitation are not mutually exclusive.

The track takes an unsettling emotional turn through its manipulator’s perspective in “Sorry Eyed.” At first, the narrator seems dependent on another person, as if they need comfort, connection, or support. But as the story progresses, that openness starts to resemble exploitation. The song’s heart is the power imbalance, where regret always clashes with self-interest.

This struggle gives the song its emotional weight, because the narrator knows the damage he’s causing but is still addicted to the perks of manipulation. The accompanying music video arrives September 30th and carries that story further with the angel’s trust, devotion, and sacrifice. What begins with faith in a fellow man ends in destruction and offers visual counterpoint to the song’s themes.

“Sorry Eyed” is a collaboration with ENCASSATOR, who produced, recorded, mixed, and mastered the song and played a major role in its development. That full creative engagement helps shape the single into one cohesive piece, where the track’s dark alternative rock, shoegaze identity doesn’t detract from the story but supports it. “Sorry Eyed” is a strong pick for fans who love exploring manipulation and complicated relationships.

Advertisement

Connect with personalheartbreaker: Instagram | Spotify

Continue Reading

Artist Spotlight

“Hell has frozen over” finds Sarina choosing peace over being understood

Sarina

Sarina’s new track, “Hell has frozen over,” explores the less dramatic, more complicated moment of reaching the end of the road, being gaslit, ignored, rejected, and painfully lonely. It translates the emotional burnout into a rock-pop context that’s easy to understand.

“Hell has frozen over” focuses on the decision to step away, instead of explaining, defending, or seeking understanding from people who refuse to listen. The rock foundation gives it the right weight, the pop influence makes it accessible, and the focus stays on the emotional message.

Sarina’s art is the struggle of loss and being strong in yourself. It’s about understanding that protecting your peace is more important than being understood. And that’s the emotional balance that gives the release its character so that the subject matter has relevance beyond a particular circumstance.

Advertisement

“Hell has frozen over“ is a relief from the burden of carrying on a debate that will never be resolved. Sarina turns an experience of isolation into a statement about boundaries, resilience, and the choice not to get caught in the same cycle. The result is a record that’s at its best when it’s being true to what it feels like to finally be free from whatever has been holding you down.

Photo Credit: Andrea Hunter

Connect – IG | TikTok | YouTube |

Continue Reading

Video Of The Week

Trending