Dara – “Why Do I Only Think Of You?” (Official Video)

The newest video from pop aficionado Dara could be seen as somewhat of a risky move. The premise of the video has her on a bare bones set with a colorful backdrop and a faux steering wheel, performing the infectiously upbeat song with no accompaniment. The simplicity of it all forces the viewer to really pay attention to the performance; which is where the risky part comes in. Many other artists may not be able to pull of nearly 4 minutes of compelling storytelling with just their face but you’d be damned to convince me if Dara doesn’t pull it off perfectly.

The deceptively simple setup works not only works wonders for the song, which should immediately be placed on your Songs For Summer playlist, but as a showcase for establishing an artist that understands the entertainment side of performance. She switches between contemplative, goofy and enjoyable sincere without ever letting the viewer get bored. This sounds like grandstanding but it’s honestly impressive.

The prior single, “Don’t Wanna Cry“, was a much more sombre number, so it’s nice to hear some upbeat, joyful noise from Dara.