McKail Seely left Salt Lake City in search of creative inspiration, and like many before her found herself in Los Angeles. But by the time she made the big move in 2012, she was no stranger to the stage. By the age of eight, she was already performing countrywide with the dancing/singing group Clayton Productions, and at twelve, her membership in Onstage Productions, another performance troupe, helped forge her passion for songwriting. Once in Hollywood, she studied at the Musician’s Institute, where she began to mature as an an artist, finding her voice in a mix of folk, rock, pop and soul, penning lyrics that strive to truthfully convey the vast range of human emotion. Seely’s found her footing after a mere four years, performing throughout the city and teaming up with legendary artists, including Leon Russell. In September of last year, she released a four song EP entitled Ride of Life.

Today, Elmore is premiering the video for “Last One,” a track from her EP. Seely channels her Irish roots and mixes in folk to create a dynamic sound on this track. Tossing in bed, pulling at her hair, she takes a powerful acting turn, conveying the frustration and chaos of heartbreak. The elegance of her dress mimics the powerful contrast between her soaring, high trills and the sensual throatiness of her lower register. The camera stays close to her face, trusting her to channel to glamour and tragedy of old Hollywood.

Seely takes us behind the scenes into the creation of the video, recalling, “filming inside the Millennium Biltmore Hotel was honestly a dream come true. Because of my fascination with old Hollywood and this historic hotel, I truly felt like a 1930s actress arriving at the Oscars. As I was dancing around in my vintage ballroom dress, I couldn’t help but smile. Although, I’m sure people were staring at the scene, nothing in that moment seemed to matter. We ending up filming in three drastically different locations along with a few driving scenes. One of those locations was a 3 star motel in East Hollywood. When we arrived the concierge was convinced that we were there to shoot an adult film. After realizing that requesting a bedroom in the wee hours of the night along Hollywood Blvd seemed suspicious, we laughed and went about our business. Our last location took place at a view spot in West Hollywood among the houses of the hills. Though the location had a spectacular view of Los Angeles, it was quite cold and windy. We didn’t let this stop us from getting the last scene of the video. This was a key part… the part when I needed to convince the camera that I was strong and independent despite the chaotic relationship that is indicated earlier in the video. In order the last scene to work, we used cell phone lights to capture enough exposure.”

Head to Seely’s website for more info on the artist and buy yourself a copy of Ride of Life here. Watch “Last One” right here on Elmore…