Today we’re premiering Jesus Vio’s video for “Do You Believe,” a single off his album Dutch Science that he hopes to release within a year. The video was directed by Santiago Cardenas and features Leah Miller on bass, Austin Edwards on drums, Nathaniel Hoekstra on guitar, and Josh Halper also on guitar.
Jesus Vio spent a handful of years as a member of Free Pizza before they broke up in 2016. After the initial sadness of the break up, Vio realized that what he was going to miss was the environment of collaboration and teamwork that comes with being in a band. So when he set out to record under his own name he wanted to ensure that esprit de corps lived on.
“Do You Believe” was recorded at the Pet Cemetery, a punk house in Nashville where Vio lived. There he converted a room into a DIY recording studio and even built some furniture that can be seen in the video. He described the house as “a really vibrant place to make music and art.” When I asked him what he wanted to accomplish during the recording he simply said, “I wanted to document my Nashville ensemble.”
This video serves as a two-minute thesis for Vio’s entire outlook on music, band dynamics, and well, life in general. When we spoke on the phone it was clear that his favorite part of making music isn’t writing lyrics, creating melodies, or producing tracks—it’s spending time with people he likes.
“The meaning of music for me is all about friends and collaboration. It somehow keeps me alive, gives me community and keeps me away from nihilism,” Vio says. “No matter what I’m doing I’m always going to be doing music specifically because I get to interact with other musicians.”
The video has a frantic energy as the camera quickly whirls around the room only stopping for a moment on each band member. Vio keeps the energy high with contagious dance moves and rollicking lyrics he says are intended to move people into the space between the physical world and the imaginary realm. The group clearly shares a fondness for one another and once the two minutes are up you’re left wanting more.
Thankfully, there will be more on the way. Vio left Nashville and moved back to Western Mass. There he’s been able to really focus on creating art. ““Nashville rules, the musicians are great, great things are happening. But I saw the universe was calling for me to come back up north,” he says about the move. “I followed my heart and came up here. I started making visual art again, I started making collages, and working more in the art industry.” In addition to the eventual release of Dutch Science, Vio has two other albums in the works as well as more videos and singles soon to drop. It’s a lot to juggle, but for someone who clearly loves art, he’s having the time of his life. “I’m just kind of journeying, you know?”