The Women's March, set to take place the weekend of Donald Trump's inauguration, is bringing together women all over the country — both physically and musically. Singer MILCK decided to join forces with director and editor Sammi Cohen to create the music video for "Quiet," a song all about pushing back against those wishing to silence female and marginalized voices.
The Chinese-American singer/songwriter and queer creator are the perfect voices for this struggle, speaking out about an emerging American attitude that seeks to overlook their identities. "I can't keep quiet, no no no," the song protests. "A one woman riot, no no no."
The video mirrors this frustration, showing MILCK sitting a tub of slowly rising water. Eventually, it overtakes her, suffocating her the way ignorance has suffocated the voices of those participating in the march. In the end, however, MILCK escapes the water, shattering the glass. It's an inspiring image for us all.
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"The idea for this video came to me recently in the wake of this election and the oppressive social climate that so many people are forced to live in around the world," says Cohen. "The allegorical nature of the piece is supposed to elicit an emotional reaction and propel people into action, breaking glass ceilings, shattering silence, and empowering women to march forward into action."
"I wanted the video to be raw and pure focused on the emotions that spur from being silenced," MILCK added. "I know that many people, beyond just women, know that feeling of suffocation that comes with oppression."
In the creation of the video, both MILCK and Cohen sought to fill the department heads and crew with as many women as possible, including those from the LGBTQ community. This is something both creators strive for in their art.
"In my heart of hearts I know this video was meant to be created," MILCK continued. "It has that magic in it, as I felt like the universe conspired with us to make it happen."
MILCK will be performing the song in "multiple guerilla-style a cappella performances" during the march. Catch her in D.C. or online.
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