Jordan DePaul recently premiered his “No Good For You” video with PopMatters. DePaul chatted with Will Rivitz of PopMatters to discuss the project. Read the interview below and check out the video and tell us what you think!
What does this song mean to you?
I remember sitting on the back end of my buddy’s truck bed, while he was sitting in his boat in his garage and our friend was laying in the front yard. Sounds like a scene right out of a bad country song, but that’s exactly what we were racking our brains about that day and fighting against while writing “No Good For You”. The song is somewhat of a homage to how my buddies and I write songs; we fight to make every line better than the last.
Despite me occasionally reminiscing on the amazing feeling we had when finishing, “No Good For You”, the song’s concept is far from celebratory. In a nutshell, the song depicts someone telling their significant other that they deserve better, even when their significant other does not see it. My cowriters Tommy Cole, Brett Sheroky and I pulled from separate life experiences and came together on the internalized idea that, “it ain’t no good for you to be so good for me.”
What was your favorite part about shooting this video? Who decided to make it backwards?
My favorite part of shooting the video was when the crew and I experienced what we believe to have been a ghostly encounter from the old farmhouse in Kentucky where we shot the bedroom scene. It was 1:00 am and we had just wrapped when I walked out into the upstairs hallway and heard old-timey music playing from downstairs. One of the owners walked out and asked “was that old-timey music?” Apparently it happens quite often, along with the doors shutting on their own like they did earlier that day. My favorite TV show is Ghost Hunters, so I live for that kind of stuff.
Shooting the video backwards was my idea. I worked out the concept that the guy in the relationship (played by me) would first wake up at the beginning of the video and then begin “thinking back to himself” all that had happened the day before. The story-line, which was a bit confusing since it was in reverse chronological order, depicts a number of reasons why he is, indeed, no good for her. My friend, Loryn (spouse in the video) clearly had some pent-up aggression towards me, because she did an alarmingly great job shouting at me in the fight scene.
Because we shot the entire video backwards, I had to learn any words that were going to be visible on camera backwards. So, any words you see in the video, I am saying backwards.
Link to original write up CLICK HERE
About DePaul:
Originally from a small suburb outside of Youngstown, OH, singer-songwriter Jordan DePaul moved to Nashville, TN in January of 2013, and quickly made his presence known with his mix of Folk, Country, Americana and Indie-Rock. Seeing him perform live is an unforgettable experience; yet it’s Jordan’s lyrical honesty and the yearning passion in his voice that allows listeners to quickly relate to his music.
DePaul fronted a band in Ohio until age 19; however, he did not realize he wanted to be a songwriter until the passing of his father. Reaching the lowest point in his life, Jordan locked himself in his bedroom for months, and poured his heart into music in a way he never imagined. Eventually, he broke through the pain and stepped out of his room with 30 new, heartfelt songs.
Having quit the band, DePaul was left with no alternate outlet to debut the music, so in 2013 he moved to Nashville, TN to pursue a solo career. Although only two short albums have been recorded, the 25 year-old’s soul holds the rest of his vast potential catalogue. It is not uncommon for an audience to show up at a Jordan DePaul show and hear one or two brand new songs each time.
“I wish I could record them all right now,” DePaul says. “The songs are all dying to get out there.”
A consummate performer, Jordan orchestrates a live show that demands attention. He is capable of delivering a full-band, arena-ready party, but also of standing alone with his guitar, emoting brilliantly raw passion. In the past two years, he has already filled notable venues in Nashville such as The Basement, Exit/In and Mercy Lounge, and has also become a staple around Nashville at events such as Whiskey Jam East, which he helped establish, The Neighborhood Watch, which he created, and his own bi-monthly writers round at Fat Bottom Brewery.
Jordan brings this work ethic to the studio as well. His first EP “Troubles I Had” gained quick recognition of local songwriters and producers. Shortly thereafter, he released his sophomore EP, “Live From The Henhouse.” Not one to slow down, Jordan’s third EP, Forces, was released in February 2016 featuring the singles “Me + U,” and “No Good For You,” as well as “Brighter Shade of Blue,” which has reached over 500,000 views on Spotify! He is currently back in the studio ready for a followup entitled Question Marks, which will be available later this year!
