Patrick Watson has dropped a new video for “Can’t Stop Staring at the Sun,” from his three-part single “A Mermaid in Lisbon.” Directed and choreographed by Jacob Jonas, the video stars dancers Anthony Bryant, Gianinni Semedo Moreira, and Nicolas Walton. “A Mermaid in Lisbon,” which came out in May, is the latest release by Patrick Watson, featuring Teresa Salgueiro and the Attacca Quartet.

Patrick Watson on the video for “Can’t Stop Staring at the Sun”

“During the lockdown I was really inspired and watching a lot of modern dance videos. ‘Can’t Stop Staring at the Sun’ felt like it was a dance piece from the beginning. I was already collaborating with Jacob Jonas on another project, so I asked him if he could make me a dance video. I gave him the song and he came back with this beautiful piece.”

Jacob Jonas shares the inspiration behind the video: “Our truest vulnerabilities are amplified when seen. The exposure to the light allows a witness to observe. The sun returns each day. Nature’s way to remind us to start again. We are scheduled by brightness. When dark, we are illuminated by the artificial. This narrative is about man’s dependence of sunlight and without it, he is caught.” He adds “There’s a strange satisfaction of staring at the sun. The attraction to something you’re not supposed to be attracted to. It’s intense, surreal and lucid. This video explores what’s real versus what’s imagined through fear.”

“The inspiration for these three pieces came the last time I was walking the streets of Lisbon. It’s my favourite place to wander it just generally feels like the streets are singing this wonderful melancholic sound for your walk, that pulls you into small winding roads, that make you feel like you’ll get lost and never return. Hence the mermaid title. It’s an incredible place and it was the one place in the world I missed most during the quarantine.”

Jacob Jonas is a director, choreographer, photographer and Creative Director of Jacob Jonas The Company.Jacob engages in non-traditional collaborations and has worked with artists including Kanye West, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Emmanuel Lubezki, Vanessa Beecroft and many more.

Patrick Watson composes, performs and records his albums with his full band, which includes Joe Grass (guitar), Evan Tighe (drums), Mishka Stein (bass). Raised and still living in Montreal, Watson has composed several scores for both film and television, including a trailer for The Walking Dead and Wim Wenders’ 3D film Everything Will Be Fine.

order “Can’t Stop Staring at the Sun” Patrick Watson HERE