Amanda Hagel
Get ready for a journey through our collaborations with Inspirational and Country artist Amanda Hagel, which has been flourishing since 2017! Join us as we revisit the creative projects that have shaped our artistic partnership over the years:
-Co-produced and co-recorded three full-length albums.
-Produced, directed, filmed, and edited seven music videos.
-Directed, produced, filmed, and edited a documentary.
-Produced, directed, filmed, and edited three interview-style inspirational videos for the “Her Own Drum” series.
-Captured several photo shoots.
-Designed and created many cover artworks for her singles.
As you can see, we have created an impressive body of work together! Oftentimes, we are amazed by the sheer volume of work we’ve accomplished together, and we take immense pride in our team’s efforts over the years.
Now, let’s rewind to the beginning…
1. “Collection of Covers Volume One” Album
Our first project with Amanda started with producing, recording, and mixing her cover song album. Jesse Weiman (our lead audio producer) worked tirelessly with Amanda to create the sound she envisioned. He challenged her creatively, introducing many innovative elements, such as “jungle drum beats,” and pushing the boundaries of her vocal prowess. Check out Amanda Hagel’s “Collection of Covers Volume One” on Spotify below, featuring her impressive renditions of famous hits like Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey, Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga, Somebody Like You by Keith Urban, and many more!
The Behind The Scenes photos below were captured by Andrea An (lead photographer and videographer) during the music video shoot for Amanda Hagel’s “Collection of Covers” album.
2. “Listen With Your Heart” Christmas Album
Amanda’s second project with us was a delightful Christmas album titled “Listen With Your Heart”! The title track, Listen With Your Heart, was produced and recorded by Saskatoon music producer Bart McKay. The remaining seven Christmas songs on the album were meticulously produced, recorded and mixed by none other than our very own Jesse Weiman.
Just like her previous cover song album, Amanda gave Jesse the creative freedom to create a versatile sonic palette, enabling him to push the musical boundaries once again. The result? A collection of beautiful Christmas renditions, including beloved classics such as “Mary Did You Know,” “What Child Is This,” “Hallelujah,” “Go Tell it On The Mountain,” and many more! This album earned Amanda the prestigious “Best Gospel Album of the Year” award at the Saskatchewan Country Music Association Awards!
3. “Be The Light” Album
The digital marketing and audio production for this album was nothing short of monumental! “Be The Light” marks Amanda’s impressive third original inspirational/country album, featuring four incredible singles:
- What Brand of Country Are You (song produced and recorded by Bart McKay)
- Her Own Drum (song produced and recorded by Jesse Weiman)
- Angel Lullaby (song produced and recorded by Jesse Weiman)
- Be The Light (song produced and recorded by Bart McKay)
What Brand of Country Are You
Amanda and Andrea’s creative journey started with the production of Amanda’s lyric video, “What Brand of Country Are You.” They collaborated closely to translate Amanda’s song concept into fun and exciting visuals. Their brainstorming led to the incorporation of many iconic 90s elements, including CDs, vinyls, cassette tapes, childhood photos, disco lights, and other country staples such as cowgirl boots, straw hats, plaid shirts, and a banjo. They even included other fun props, like a toy car!
Check out the lyric video for What Brand of Country Are You:
Her Own Drum
Amanda’s second single from her album “Be The Light” is called “Her Own Drum,” produced and recorded by our very own Jesse Weiman.
“Working with Amanda is always inspiring. Her drive for creating authentic, quality music is truly a joy to be a part of. She’s a woman with a vision who knows how to bring her art to life. She beats to her own drum and is an inspiration to work with.”
Jesse Weiman
Amanda approached Andrea with the idea of creating a music video that closely followed the lyrics of her song. The first verse is all about being a kid, so we included various props from Amanda’s own childhood in the video. Amanda even included a drawing she made as a kid, adding a personal touch to the music video. For her chorus lyric, “Marching to the beat of her own drum,” we filmed Amanda walking through life’s journey in many scenes and then concluded the music video with her musical calling of being an artist.
Stylistically, Andrea opted for a ‘Hollywood’ colour-grading approach to enhance the overall quality of the music video. Amanda sourced all of her props and even made an awesome road sign for the video. Amanda is an exceptionally creative individual and a phenomenal performer and artist. She puts her all into her work, and her dedication is evident in the music video we produced, directed, filmed and edited below:
To expand the release of Her Own Drum, Amanda wanted to create a three-part series showcasing three inspirational women who are “marching to the beat of their own drum.” Andrea filmed, produced and edited this Inspirational Interview series, and she was also featured in it too! Amanda’s goal as a creator is to make content that is meaningful and impactful, and with this video series, we’ve done just that!
To complete the “Her Own Drum” project, we also handled the photography and digital design for her cover artwork. We presented two different options, and Amanda selected the one below. Our goal was to capture a ‘feminine warrior’ aesthetic by incorporating pink highlights throughout the cover artwork, complemented by powerful and bold text. Also, did you notice that she’s holding drumsticks in her left hand?
Fun fact: “Amanda’s most successful radio single releases cracking the top 100 at Canadian Country Radio include Backseat Everything, What Brand of Country Are You and Her Own Drum.” –Amanda Hagel
Angel Lullaby
Amanda’s third single from her “Be The Light” album is titled “Angel Lullaby.” To promote the song, Amanda decided to complement its release with a music video. During an in-person consultation, we explored various concepts. Andrea proposed the idea of filming the music video in a church, given the song’s spiritual essence. We aimed to create a music video that was distinctive yet deeply meaningful.
Incorporating the church’s beautiful architecture, we aimed to highlight the church’s authentic beauty. To further emphasize its elegance, we opted for a black-and-white visual treatment, enhancing the video’s aesthetic appeal. Given the song’s prominent piano composition, we also made the choice to feature the actual pianist, Curtis Korchinski.
The entire process of filming this music video was a breathtaking experience, and we were grateful to capture the profound beauty of simplicity in every frame.
To enhance the promotion of this digital campaign, Amanda enlisted us to photograph and design her cover artwork as well:
Fun fact: “Amanda’s social media campaign for her 2020 single release Angel Lullaby reached over 160,000 views on Facebook in its first four weeks of circulation. In addition, on the Canadian Indie Country Countdown in their 12th week of rotation, Angel Lullaby would reach #1 in November of 2020.” – Amanda Hagel
Be The Light (Music Video)
“Be the Light,” the title track of Amanda’s album, marks the fourth officially released single! We collaborated closely with Amanda to create the concept and storyboard for this music video. Amanda had a brilliant idea of incorporating a captivating light show at The Broadway Theatre in Saskatoon. We were on board with the idea and took our time planning the shot list.
Amanda has fully embraced her calling and purpose as an artist, and her message shines brightly through this single. “Be the Light” is an uplifting track produced and recorded by the talented Bart McKay. The song exudes energy and positivity, blending inspirational and country elements seamlessly. The song’s essence is to encourage individuals to express their truest selves by following their hearts.
Watch the “Be the Light” music video, filmed, directed, and edited by Andrea An:
Fun Fact: The “Be The Light” music video made it to the final round in the Canadian Independent Music Video Awards in 2022!
4. “Be The Light” Documentary
We are passionate storytellers at our core. Our journey into filmmaking was driven by the desire to craft films that would convey profound narratives. With this in mind, we approached Amanda with a unique proposition: to create a documentary showcasing the making of her album, “Be The Light.” This project allowed us to engage in a comprehensive creative process from inception to completion.
Andrea pondered the idea of sharing Amanda’s creative journey to enable her audience to connect with her on a deeper level. Amanda embraced this concept wholeheartedly and embarked on the process of capturing every step of the album’s creation.
The creation of meaningful art is a collaborative endeavour that requires a dedicated team. From the music producers and session players to the makeup artists, hair stylists, and marketing professionals, we were fortunate to work with seasoned experts who helped convey Amanda’s story effectively. The journey of creating this documentary was a delightful and rewarding experience, and the end result made every moment worthwhile.
The documentary was brought to life through the production, directing, filming, and editing skills of Andrea An, completed with the audio production expertise provided by Jesse Weiman.
Take a look:
Shortly after the documentary was released, Amanda released her latest album, “Be The Light” across all major streaming platforms. Physical copies of her album are available on her website as well! Bart McKay produced and recorded the title track, “Be The Light” as well as “What Brand of Country Are You.” Our lead audio producer, Jesse Weiman, produced and recorded the remaining tracks on the album.
5. These Roots (Single)
Our most recent collaboration with Amanda involved creating the music video, cover artwork, and promotional photos for her latest single, “These Roots.” During the filming of the music video, we encountered what was quite possibly the windiest day ever in Saskatoon! Surprisingly, the gusty winds added a powerful visual element to the video and lent depth to the lyrics, particularly the line, “The WINDS of change have come, but the one thing that remains is, all of this love, in These Roots.” Andrea and Amanda decided to harness Saskatoon’s natural beauty once again, setting scenes against its picturesque landscapes, showcasing the vast prairie grasslands and long country gravel roads. Special props, such as Amanda’s old photographs, were incorporated to provide a glimpse into her family’s legacy and upbringing.
“These Roots” was produced and recorded by Bart McKay. The music video was filmed, directed and edited by Andrea An.
Watch our creation below:
Here’s a glimpse of the cover artwork that Andrea created:
Conclusion
In closing, Amanda’s projects have been incredible journeys filled with creativity, passion, and dedication. We’ve had the privilege of witnessing her artistry evolve and grow with each endeavour, and it’s been a remarkable experience working alongside such a talented and inspiring artist. As we look forward to future collaborations, we remain committed to pushing creative boundaries, telling meaningful stories, and creating memorable art that resonates with audiences far and wide. Thank you, Amanda, for entrusting us with your vision, and here’s to many more extraordinary projects ahead.
Until then, check out our portfolio to view more of our work!
-Nolita Studios