Cece Natalie details music video and recording for Flood Whole Towns

Cece Natalie discussed her latest music video for “Flood Whole Towns” in an interview, detailing her collaboration with co-producer Aaron Shadrow and her hands-on approach to the visual treatment.

Sonic Textures Across Eras

Speaking exclusively to The FADER, Cece discussed the distinct sonic textures woven into the recording of “Flood Whole Towns.” Different little elements sound like they are from different time periods, she explained, noting that the outro vocals get progressively more off-key the repetition of the phrase “I blame you.”

Cece Balances Modern Autotune with Medieval Tones

The vocal delivery and lyrical choices were designed to balance the various eras heard in the instrumental track. Cece noted that there is not a lot of Autotune on the song because it would sound too pretty and too modern. Some lines remain straightforward while others feel medieval.

Journal Entries Inspire Favorite Lyrics

Among her work, she identified the line “the cross that I bear is the clutter inside” as a top-ten favorite lyric from any of her songs. Writing and recording simultaneously, she pulled from journal entries that granted her permission to be as irrational as she wanted to be.

Crafting a Non-Heroic Visual Ending

Beyond the audio production, Cece co-creative directed the music video treatment to incorporate elements she has always wanted in her visual world, including fantasy, adventure, and death. Building a story where her character dies at the end served a deliberate narrative purpose, as she did not want to make herself the hero of the story, concluding that there is no hero.