Red Robyn’s ‘Stargirl’ video shares her story of broken dreams and strength from sisterhood
South African artists Red Robyn and The World of Birds have been creating delicious indie pop fit for socialising and playfighting. But for their latest video ‘Stargirl’, they’ve told the bittersweet story of singer and guitarist Red Robyn and what led her to become a musician.
Red Robyn’s childhood dream of becoming an Olympic figure skater was crushed when she had to undergo a spinal fusion to correct idiopathic scoliosis (a curvature of the spine). Following the treatment, she found healing in writing songs on her guitar and strength in her relationship with her mother and sister.
Directed by fellow South African Katya Abedian-Rawháni, the video tells this story through sweeping montages, showing the artist reflecting, skating and sharing moments of joy with her mother and sister – who the song was written for.
“I think the most powerful thing anyone has is their story. I wanted to tell mine. I had always been a fan of, and wanted to work with, Katya. This was the perfect opportunity. She was the perfect person to help me tell my story,” said Robyn.
“Ash [Red Robyn] is such a big inspiration to me,” said Abedian-Rawháni. “Her transition from professional ice skating to music is inspiring for a lot of people to not give up if one dream doesn’t work out, because there is more than one dream, talent, gift for you out there. And all it needs to come to life is your energy and effort in its direction, and to believe that what you’ve been given is for you to use, and share, and hopefully do something meaningful and helpful with.”
Released shortly after International Women’s Day this month, Red Robyn and Abedian-Rawháni added that this video is their ode to the women who make them who they are.
You can watch the ‘Stargirl’ video below:
‘Stargirl’ is part of The World of Birds’s debut EP, Before the Sun Comes Up, which was released in October 2020. Robyn hopes that the song will inspire courage in women and girls everywhere.
Last year, Red Robyn released ‘I’ll Stay the Same’ and the terrifically summery ‘Got Me’.
We spoke to Red Robyn back in 2017. She’s come a long way since then, including making festival appearances and winning Afropunk Johannesburg 2018’s Battle of the Bands contest. You can hear Red Robyn, and many other independent artists, on our weekly new music playlist, The Fresh List.
You can see more of Abedian-Rawháni’s work on Vimeo.
Image: courtesy of Red Robyn/Katya Abedian-Rawháni