Beatrice Deer’s new video begins with an aerial view of a forest near Mont-Tremblant, where Deer is methodically walking. Made for the title track of her most recent album, My All to You, the video transitions between rural and urban, from Deer running down Montreal’s busy Sainte-Catherine Street W., to the singer sinking her kamiks into the snow on the mountainside.
It’s a thread that runs through much of Deer’s work — the presence of her hometown, Quaqtaq, Que., and Montreal, where she’s now based, and everything the two places represent. Supported by the steady heartbeat of a drum and light guitar, with a throat-singing bridge, “My All to You” is one of a handful of songs on the album that’s fully in English (most are in Inuktitut, a couple in French), and as Deer sings, “Over the hills/ through the mountains/ down in the valley/ I was lost/ Wandering aimless,” while literally enacting each lyric, what at first comes across as a love song turns into a topographical map of places where you might find peace.
"The imagery of walking in an unknown forest represents being lost in life and not knowing where to go," explains Deer via email. "Panic sets in as the fear of being lost sinks in. The city scenes represent the chaos of life and trying to run from the internal struggles. The peaceful ending represents capturing the calling to one’s purpose and finding inner peace and stability."
The new video was directed by Michael Felber and Alan Kohl, and Deer made the amauti — "It’s what women wore pre-colonization," she explains — the kamiks and vest that you'll see her wear. Watch the full video below, and read our interview with Deer from earlier this year for more context on the album.
You can catch Deer opening for Elisapie Isaac on Sept. 20 in Toronto. Get details via her website.
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