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FYI

Prism Prize Videos: Bahamas - No Depression

The top prize for Canadian music videos will be handed out May 13 at TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto. Here is a profile of a nominated clip by a beloved Toronto singer/songwriter.

 

Prism Prize Videos: Bahamas - No Depression

By FYI Staff

The Prism Prize recently announced the Top 20 Canadian music videos competing for the annual honour, to be handed out May 13 at TIFF Bell Lightbox in Toronto.


Leading up to the Prize, we are profiling some of the clips in contention. More information on the Prize here

Bahamas - "No Depression"

"No Depression" by Bahamas (the stage name of Afie Jurvanen) and director Ali J Eisner is a laid back, easy to listen to acoustic number with a twist; while the video follows a day in the life of the lead singer, Afie Jurvanen himself barely appears. Instead, he is represented by a puppet bearing his likeness.

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The video takes place on the shore of a lake in Northern Ontario, and we follow along as his puppet persona interacts with his real-life surroundings seamlessly. From staring out into the lake from his place on the dock to chopping wood in the forest and bird watching, viewers are taken along for the ride as the puppet goes through the motions of living life on the lake. Given the title and the subject matter of the song, it’s not hard to imagine Jurvanen’s puppet as a metaphor for Afie himself feeling as though he’s merely a placeholder in his own life rather than a real person whenever his depression strikes.

Despite the theme and the lyrics, the video ends on an upbeat note as the puppet slowly begins to rediscover the little joys in life (in no small part thanks to the puppet squirrel living in the forest next to his cottage). In the final scene, we finally get to see Jurvanen in the flesh as he and the puppet sit side by side, wearing matching tracksuits as they roast hot dogs together over an open fire.

Director: Ali J Eisner
Producer: Ali J Eisner
DOP: Peter Schnobb
Editor/Colorist: Peter Schnobb

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H.E.R.
Steven Moran
H.E.R.
Awards

See Who Was Nominated — and Who Was Passed Over — in Oscars’ 2025 Music Categories

This is the fifth year in a row that one or more non-English language songs has been nominated for best original song.

Diane Warren received her 16th Oscar nomination for best original song on Thursday (Jan. 23) — a tally equaled by only three other songwriters in the 91-year history of the category. Sammy Cahn leads with 26 nods, followed by Johnny Mercer with 18 and Paul Francis Webster, also with 16. Warren was nominated this year this year for “The Journey,” sung by H.E.R. in The Six Triple Eight.

Moreover, this is the eighth year in a row Warren has been nominated, which enables her to tie Cahn for the longest continuous streak of nominations in this category. Cahn was nominated eight years running from 1954 to 1961.

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