Haunted: My song about a Haunted house. Music video Samhain/Halloween premiere and photoshoot.

in music •  6 years ago  (edited)


You know that there are places you’d better not roam alone in. You can feel that weird sensation that alerts you. What if the ghost in a haunted place is the place itself? Cross the fence and enter into the desolate feelings of an abandoned house. Places are not haunted by ghosts but by desolation.

I have not been much around these last few weeks because I was working on this music video. It took a lot of work and I battled with my old computer, but finally it is here, and right for Samhain/Halloween, though It stays as an official video for my original song Haunted remixed with new cello, vocals, and instruments and with a video filmed throughout this year.

Haunted is in fact one of my favourite songs of mine, but with its weird chord progressions and dark tone it was never one of my popular ones... still it's often on my performing set lists because It is one of the poems I'm more proud of and the whole theme works as a metaphor of desolation and abandonment. It's the house itself singing, not a ghost. Yidneth the female character of my story that usually appears in the different CDs sometimes dreams she is a ghost... and she wanders surrounded by moths... She is sometimes afraid to fall sleep and become a ghost.

The vocals have several layers, one is my pure voice untreated, the other two me singing with vocal fry as a creaking door and another layer whispering, so it feels I'm dubbing over the abode's voice.

The House would work itself as a big "Underliving" something living but not alive. This term and concept gave name to my second album theunderliving.com and keeps on being recurrent throughout my entire works.

This is a new videoclip for my song Haunted, the original version was released in Ancient Shadows (2006) but this is a new video and version was recorded this year (2018) and features a longer cello line and many more backing vocals as well as a a new videoclip filmed on an abandoned Palace on top of a Hill, an abandoned village and other locations. I premier it as fitting for Samhain as the veil is thin but remains as an official music video for the song. This new version slightly different than the one that was officially published will be listed free for patrons at patreon.com/yidneth and also here on Dsound in forthcoming for my Steemit followers. Here so far the music video.

Haunted (Lyrics / Poem)

Priscilla Hernandez Haunted - by priscilla Hernandez (yidneth.com)-2.jpg

My crumbling walls groan and complain
the ivory gleam is now turned to grey
no steps on my dusty floors
No one sleeps in the musty bed
I feel alone and desolate
Deprived of the splendour of the elder days
my baleful halls... an ode to decay
the piano still plays itself
that off-key melody
that makes the shadows dance and boil
in that frantic ball
Shelter of the nameless gods and ghostly shades
the wild moan of wind warns I shall not be dwelt in…
…in the starless... dismal nights...
... I am... haunted
The garden grows wild
the ivy crawled and hid all the gates
and pallid blooms of rancid scent
took place when roses withered away
The abyss of nightmare lurks in each hole
and things unseen behind every door
but I cannot help but miss
the laughter of children
oh come again... cross the fence... to play with me
(Hide and seek)
All the yearning sins and secrets I may keep
still invoke and build that hideous fantasy
ah everyone knows... I am... haunted
And centuries run...
this rotten core will never fall down
laid my foundations deep in the ground
Defiant and silent I shall await....
while everyone says...
I am... haunted

Locations: Aizkolegi Palace, Tiermas and Ordesa

Priscilla Hernandez Haunted - by priscilla Hernandez (yidneth.com)-6.jpg

Aizkolegi Palace stands on top of a hill, 842 meters high surrounded by lush and dark woods with gnarled trees. It was built over a century ago by Pedro Ciga, last owner of "El Señorío de Bertiz", the natural Park where it stands now abandoned.

Priscilla Hernandez Haunted - by priscilla Hernandez (yidneth.com).jpg

It was built as a second house uphill with amazing views of the surrounding valleys covered in beechwoods. On a clear day you are able to see the sea afar. Pedro installed a telescope on it to "observe and admire the wonders of Nature" but now it's closed and in ruins.

In his testament it was told it had to be preserved "its way" yet now inhabited, the windows and doors have been closed with planks and only some open windows upstairs offer an uneasy ominous black glimpse of its core. I wonder what's inside but I can only imagine it. There are several signals that warns of the dangers as the abode has been left to the elements and slowly breaking apart for a long time. Yet still stands, decaying and haunted by its own solitude. Thus it was perfect to portray my little story. The song had already been released on my first album Ancient Shadows, but being one of my favourites I couldn't help but film a new video and re-record voices, choirs and more instruments in this brand new updated version. The music video was filmed earlier this year before Spring opened its new leaves.

haunted.jpg

The house must be indeed HAUNTED because we got lost on our way downhill for several miles, had to go uphill again back to it to find our way through the dark woods... very ominous

Additional sequences were filmed a month ago in Tiermas Village, an abandoned town in Tiermas. The scenes at the waterfalls belong to the the Natural Park of Ordesa, the waterfall "Las Gradas" resembles somehow a construction, and the flow of water somehow represents the flow of time.

Haunted Ordesa Ghost  - by priscilla Hernandez (yidneth.com).jpg

Of course yet again my obsession for moths... I never miss the chance to film one when the visit me...

moth - by priscilla Hernandez (yidneth.com).jpg

And its obsession for a flame... like a ghost to the living... like an empty house for inhabitants

Priscilla_hernandez_haunted.jpg

And thus there are moths in this video as there are usually in my drawings and the imagery since Ancient Shadows (my first album) where this song was first included in an older version. Moths and the ghost will reappear again in my third and forthcoming album Fear no More and I took the chance to re-made Haunted to rescue many of the elements that will be recurrent.

Credits

Music and lyrics by Priscilla Hernandez @yidneth
All arrangements, piano, synth, lead and backing vocals by Priscilla Hernandez @yidneth
Cello by Francina Turon and Biel Fiol

Video edit by Priscilla Hernandez
Camera work by @hedac
Special thanks to my friend Naliam who filmed an additional footage of me in Tiermas.

ghostlyshadow.jpg

The piano plays itself that off key melody that makes the shadows dance and boil in a franctic ball

haunted_PriscillaHernandez.jpg

My social network / Mis redes sociales

Official site

http://yidneth.com

Networks

See you at STEEMFEST 3 where I will perform:

I will be performing (along with @hedac) Friday Night along with some other artists in A Night of Steem. As performance will be based on keyboard/piano you can actually request this song. I'll share stage with @Katrina-ariel @Steembirds @Edpriva @Greencross. Do not miss also my friend guitar player @camuel who will be doing one of the conferences.

Read more on @roelandp post here:

https://steemit.com/steemfest/@roelandp/steemfest-updates-a-night-of-steem-line-up-documenting-steemfest-2018-and-new-names


Priscilla Hernandez
singer-songwriter & illustrator
http://yidneth.com


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I am very proud of you. :) You did a great work with the video edit and re-recording the vocals and remixing the song. Adding the new cello and adding new piano and more. The location was really haunted and remember we got lost in the middle of the haunted forest at night when returning from filming. Now you should make the making of... lol. I love going on adventures to film with you :*******

for sure it was Haunted, you rarely get lost!

Made you something >

Yidneth .jpg

Aww thank you sweetie :)
There is a section in my website (even if I have to update it) where people send their art inspired by my work or fanart or experiments (some from fellow artists too) https://priscillahernandez.com/photos/fanpictures You can upload it yourself there :)

:)

Hi yidneth,

This post has been upvoted by the Curie community curation project and associated vote trail as exceptional content (human curated and reviewed). Have a great day :)

Visit curiesteem.com or join the Curie Discord community to learn more.

Thank you so much! This one simmered slowly, thanks for the recognition

Pris!!!!! It's amaaaaazing! You are so spooky! That house is spectacular and the steep hill there next to it is eerie. My favorite part melodically is right at the 3:00 mark, just brilliant. I am always so amazed by your talent. The moths are beautiful as well, so neat that you held them. I could go on and no, there's nothing I didn't like about it. Love your beautiful dress as well, and of course, you are as haunting as always. Much love and adoration. All the time you spent paid off!! Cheers! ♥♥♥♥♥-Serena

Awww thanks so much, there is an easter egg in one frame of the video noone has discovered yet ;_)
aww thanks so much for watching it and for your lovely encouraging comment :) the dress is actually my Nighgown (for real, It was made by Kelly, my friend to have something magical to sleep on) and now it's kind of tattered and old so it fits :)
Thanks also for the compliments... learning :) next one hopefully easier for me... I take loooooooooooong on these.

This is amazing! I had a thought of you making a tarot deck, you look like the Empress card and the flowing water of all life, which you are!

I kind of chose the waterfall as a representation of flowing time though it's in reverse... kind of trippy :) thanks so much for watching the video kimmy, do you remember this one, cos you saw it live!

Wow that was amazing! Really in perfect time for Halloween too!
Cheers!!!

Hey thanks, solg is old but this version and video are from this year and premiered on Halloween as suitable date. Always liked that one connect better with my eerie ones. Thanks for watching. See you soon 🎶🎶🎶🎶

See ya :)

I think Priscilla, you are a fae of some sort, a gorgeously multi-talented spirit whose soul is so radiant and so beautiful that I just have to be thankful that you have shared some of your gifts and talents with us <3

Beautiful post, @yidneth ! Absolutely magical <3

Awww thanks so much, more a fairy godmother already, but really honoured of your compliment, I try that the best of me at least seep through my work, of course the whole is not perfect as noone is :) Thanks so much for the encouragement always!

Howdy from Texas yidneth! wow this is a combination of a beautiful song and melody with a chilling setting that is creepy! lol. That house you used is perfect and the entire video is top notch!
I'd love to be able to restore a place like that, did you go inside?

Sadly it is myterious vecause it stands on top of a hill in a Manor that now is protected natural park, nothing around but a long steep uphill hike, owner gave the land to give protected as natural reserve and thus after the forties not allowed to do actions or sell it or whatever that could alter. It was not safe to go in so the put planks on windows and doors except if that ominous top black window. Other walls are in Tiermas another abandoned village but most if the video is just around the house.

howdy again yidneth! how interesting..but sad like you said. but it does make a great background for that video!

Thank you, indeed it was, and actually inhabited for a loooong time, poor Manor

Delightful!
Both voice and video - everything creates a certain atmosphere!

Thank you for finding your way to give a listen and leave encouragement!

This is stunning Pris ❤️ Absolutely stunning..

Once again, truly exceptional @yidneth. The song and video are perfectly haunted ;-) Love the analogy about those nightly winged creatures called moths and their attraction to flames...

Your posts are lovely because you don't only post your music but also stories about the song, the places and how you took the video. I don't remember something similar.

It always make me sad to see such grandiose houses abandoned and left to fall apart. It would be great if someone would put it a little bit together :)

The views from there are very nice and I wouldn't like to get lost in the woods you like you did :)

Your song is lovely and I'm surprised to hear that it's not one of your popular songs. But I understand why it's your favorite one. The lyrics are deep and the sound is somehow mystical. Your music is very special.

Thank you for sharing Pris!

this case is mysterious because it's built on top of a private "Señorío de Bertiz" Bertiz Manor, which includes a Natural Park, first residence (downhill),forests and this house in the middle of nowhere 842 m high surrounded by nothing, but he died in the 40s not allowing further alteration of the Nature and surroundings and thus it remains inhabited and I don't think it can be legally purchased, sadly it's in ruins and some parts started to fall so without mainteinance it's subject to constant degradation against the elements, it's high and snows earlier up there. I'd like to go when it snows.
Thanks so much for the lovely encouraging feedback and the watch/listen

It's a pretty professional job that you've done. The lyrics of the song are very good, your voice is great, and the editing is great. Not to mention the great scenery where they have recorded that video, it's as if there was not a better place for it. That abandoned house and its history is great.

Thank you, the original version was released in my first album long ago but I always wanted to do a video for it, and set Samhain as deadline for a new version (all vocals, and most instruments re-recorded) and a new video for it... Like it was not very known and I kind of had to give it a new face. Found the perfect location and the rest is what results here.

Wonderful Yidneth! great song and music video production :d

Thank you so much, now you know why I was busy!

Well Yid if you were shooting a video in front of my house you could have at least knocked and said hi.😀

I can imagine seeing you in front of that house with that veil from a far. That would have been scary even though you look lovely. Hehe.

Hedac did an amazing job with the filmography as always and the song is chilling. I cant not praise what ever you do.
Great job. ❤☺

Hey, I would move there if it were allowed, it has such a presence, the house itself and the view is unbeatable, don't think it has wifi though... LOL
thanks it took me the entire month as I edited it all on my own, simple fx and all, tring to learn more now that Hector is busy though he of course still helps me to shoot.

"Fx." Thats some video editor slang. ☺
Youre becoming a master yourself.
I use filmora. Haha.

The house really does look amazing. Could be a fix up? One day the steem and sbd we earn will be used to buy houses like this. 😉

It is rather mysterious itvwas built by someone who bought an entire natural park, in his will nothing can altered in exchangevpeipke can hike thevlands, km of woods, house 842 m high on an isolated hill, mysteriously fitting. I am learning to edit this was a challenge for me. I would not mind, loojs it was glorious in its prime

Well youre getting better at it. 😀

Hi yidneth,

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Thanks always to @curie for the support!

It is extra ordinary, I love all about the video @yidneth. No more words for this one!

I'm really glad you enjoyed it :) it's a special song for me, the song is not new, the version is, the video as well filmed earlier this year and late Summer

You still look beautiful in a haunted house. 😊

I think the video will look creepier if setting is done at night like that scream at 1:40. I also like the effect of water going up instead of down in a waterfall. I noticed it at 2:43 and a few more though it was very quick clips. I am not sure if others will notice it.

Overall, you did a very good job with all the mixes, from the video to your sing and all the musical instruments that supported the artwork. Congratulations for that!

I'm just curious about the "haunted" house. Is that really an abandoned one? Or did you just put effects for the video?

Thank you so much, Aizkolegi palace in on top of a hill, surrounded by woods on a perfect circle 842 Km high, no other houses in kms away, it was second residence of the owner of the Manor, now a protected Natural Park, and he died in he died in the forties no allowing alterations to the "park" soooo cannot be purchased, and it's closed.
No legends of "hauntings" but surrounded by mystery

Yes it's abandoned and closed... and looks like it's on the video

Abandoned palace on top of a hill. Sounds creepy but more interesting. Good for you that you have a ready setting that is perfect for the video shoot. 😊 How did you get into the property if it is closed? Is it being guarded?

You are so amazing. I can't wait to see you! Safe travels, my sweet friend.

Same, see you soon!

  ·  6 years ago (edited)

I love the color scheme of this video! it's like the weather itself landed you its hand, and the locations you find for your videos are as though they are meant for your songs.... or did the location inspire the song? Of course, i cant say enough how lovely your voice and performance is... every movement seems natural, but behind it there is an artist that knows exactly what it all should look and feel like. <3

No, I wrote the song a long time ago, the first version was included in my first album, though this is a brand new version with more backing vocals, cello and just different, we were looking for a suitable location for a long time, and I always wanted to do a video for it, somehow we had a slideshow for the concerts with different things here and there, but not a proper video. Then we found the palace which is as mysterious as it can be, alone on top of a hill, no village around, no permission to be altered... left to ruined and closed, and that was it!

Whoa, that is amazing music and production, Priscilla! I like that there's that whisper whisper going on in the music and how the video is shot, there feels like a ghost feeling in it because of the rapid changes. Very lovely!
                       
And wooooo you're going to perform in SteemFest :O. That is so awesome, I'm sure you will have a blast over there ^_^.          
                       
Ohhh congratulations for your curie vote, whoohoo! :D

Thank you, there is an old version in my first album and the creepy voice is there too, though though this is a re-recording of the song and a new video for it filmed this year. There are layers to it because it's the house speaking so one is like a creaking door and the other a whisper, kind of "manual" fx added to the sound.
Yes I'm really excited, winning the raffle was unexpected, looking forward to meet everyone!
yes, I saw, woke up to the curie vote... yay !


This post was shared in the Curation Collective Discord community for curators, and upvoted and resteemed by the @c-squared community account after manual review.

Thanks always for your support, it really makes my day when the team stops by!

Great video and photo, it's so unusual to hear the song with the ghosts! Thanks @yidneth

Actually it is sung by the house, strange song and topic I guess, thx so much for watching

Beautifully haunting melody and video @yidneth clearly a lot of hard work gone into it well done.

Thank you, I'm not as quick at editing video as my partner @hedac is but had to do it on my own... so it was a good learning exercise and challenge too.

Are you live streaming your singing at steemfest ??

I think Steemfest is broadcasting yes, I'm not going to do it on my own.
I have to try vimmtv soon but kind of waiting until the videos "stay"

This is incredibly eerie and indeed, wonderful! I love that old house too!
Brilliant work you guys!
DC xx

Thanks Darren, I made all the edit and even fx in this one, hector, myself and a friend on camera work, it was quite a challenge for myself.

Wow excellent production, a wonderful final result, It's a scary video and that's good because it was exactly what they wanted to convey, besides the pictures are beautiful with excellent quality .. A big hug @yidneth

I think It is more eerie than scary... and a bit melancholic, but yes there is an uneasiness about it... a longing you could say! Thanks for watching!

Wow, congratz to making it to SteemFest :)) I'll be there just for a day so didin't even bother to buy tickets as I'll just meet with some people outside.

How is it actually with performers. Did you get ur ticket for free? Or partially paid? I might do some martial arts performance next year then hahah :D

Btw, you described location. But not the country :D I'm first time under your post soo no idea. But the name looks kinda Turkish. And you're based in Spain + those owners also sound kinda spanish. Soo I have no idea haha :D I'd bet it's in Spain if I had to. AM I right?

I love how you basically do all the stuff in the song - all those "layers". Wondering how do you perform then. You just sing the main voice and the rest is played?

How did your moth obsession start btw? I have to honestly say, I hate moths haha :D They are like butterflies, but not that nice. Srry. Just being honest :)
Anyway, great post, describing eeverything, doing of visuals, recording the clip etc etc etc. Loooot of work, great it payed off by curie :)

I there will be activities out of the fairs, so it's pretty reasonable to think you'll be able to meet people outdoors. I won a ticket and all paid expenses via Steemit blog official raffle, there was a raffle where people could vote who they wanted to perform and I was selected as act with more votes... I was UNAWARE, I did not even send a single person to nominate me as I was unsure I could make it even by winning the trip, but thing I won and then I split budget for me and my partner to attend both, tight but we hope to have a good time.

It's Spain, I'll edit and include that. Navarre, Spain

I love boths, they're furry and cute but that's not the reason why I love them, I love their symbolism and there are more than one post I've made already about it, check the one about ghosts some few posts back. Moths are butteflies (Lepidoptera) but just nocturnal and with muted colours... and not all, some moths sport vivid colours too, they're also recurrent in my songs...

Performing it depends, from me alone with a piano to a full ensemble of 13 on stage, I've done the whole range of it, this song is not new (the version and the video is) and it was on my first album back in the day too (slightly different version). Here you can see a snippet of it once on stage

I usually play harp, piano, flutes and hammered dulcimer and the band is usually me on piano and a cello (usually) the format at steemfest is going to be simple, more an acoustic piano performance, my partner Héctor will join me on percussion and backing electronic elements.

And yes, thanks to @curie always not only for what they have done for me but for every single author curated.

Oh cool so spain then. I actually live with a guy from Spain. He's from Alicante :)

Woooooooow you have such big concerts???And sooo many views? man I'm talking with a star/celebrity right now :))

Incredibly incredible!!

Thank you

Love it! Subbed

Interesting...

Hopefully, thanks

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