Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jake Clemons has released both the single and music video for “Born Like Me,” (featuring Allison Russell and Tom Morello). The video was shot at Jake’s alma mater, The Virginia Governor’s School for the Arts (GSA) in Norfolk, VA and was directed by GSA alumnus Daniel Russell (Missy Elliot, SZA, Cardi B, Khalid and Jason Derulo/Meghan Trainor). The “Born Like Me” video features Jake’s original song with an additional intro composed by Chace Moss, an outro by Courtney Jay Connor, a performance by 25¢ String Quartet and visual performances by members of the school’s theatre, film, dance visual arts and music departments.
Explains Jake Clemons: “’Born Like Me’ as both a song and a music video is one of my most deep reaching artistic efforts to date. The song was written at a time when the turmoil of the unjust executions of our American brothers and sisters were being captured on camera and highlighted amongst a wide media backdrop. A time when the realities of such painful discrepancies in our justice system were being brought into focus as voices crying for a stronger sense of humanity were ringing in the streets.
The stories of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor’s last moments among the living drew me in to recount the harshness of their earthly departures. This was happening to the folks ‘born like me.’
I firmly believe that each of us are connected. All of humanity is ultimately made up of one single beautiful family and it requires us to love and protect every part of it to make us whole.”
The video for “Born Like Me” was written by Director Daniel Russel and Producer Matt Friedman and was executive produced by Deborah Thorpe and Michelle Cihak, produced by Lachlan McClellan and Matt Friedman, with Ethan Wen as the director of photography.
Speaking about the video Jake Clemons shares: “While envisioning a vehicle to communicate the sentiment of this song visually, I chose to reach out to my high school alma mater, the Governor’s School for the Arts (GSA) in Norfolk, VA. I felt strongly about the importance of a powerful youthful representation coupled with a sincere level of artistic excellence to help tell the story and there is no better resource for this than GSA. We teamed up with a fellow alumnus, award winning director Daniel Russell and featured the incredible talents of each artistic department of GSA: Film, Theatre, Dance, Visual Arts and the Music.
I am extremely proud of the profound efforts put forth by these amazing high school students as well as the incredible leadership of the amazing staff. The goal was to connect every viewer to these stories, for them to feel a deeper sense of humanity as a part of a family to fuel a conviction that as they look at their neighbors and broader communities. I wanted for each viewer to feel compelled to declare for themselves that these terrible atrocities are not happening to ‘those people’ but, in order to make the statement true in their own voice, that all of this is happening to those ‘Born Like Me’”.
Jake Clemons’ vast array of musical endeavors over the past decade have made him a globally familiar figure. He has toured the world performing his own music with The Jake Clemons Band and has spent the last 12 years as tenor and baritone sax player with Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, also appearing on Springsteen’s album “Letter To You” and the companion Apple TV documentary.
Jake Clemons has recorded and performed with The Killers, Eddie Vedder, Glen Hansard, Tom Morello, Prophets of Rage, Roger Waters, US Girls, Arkells and Grouplove (among others). He can be seen on the Disney/ABC presentation of the 2023 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony, performing as part of the George Michael induction before playing the U.S. National Anthem in front of 65,000 for the international broadcast of the NHL Stadium Series Live from Met Life Stadium New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Flyers game last February.
His previous releases include the Embracing Light EP, Fear and Love (which reached #25 on the Billboard Americana charts) and his most recent release Eyes on The Horizon, where he once again created a new chapter, this time taking it a step further by adding his voice to those seeking to find clarity in a complicated world and expanding both his musical vision and philosophical perspective. Referring to Eyes on the Horizon, Jake says: “We always have to carry that hope with us, we have to use it to look towards the horizon.”
