← Back | Musician | 1 Music Videos
Gary Jules is a music artist of considerable note, with a resonance that extends beyond the routine musicians we come across every day. Born Gary Jules Aguirre Jr., he is most prominently known for his chillingly serene cover of the Tears for Fears song "Mad World," which he recorded alongside his friend, composer Michael Andrews, for the 'Donnie Darko' soundtrack. The song topped the UK Singles Chart in 2003, displacing the usual barrage of holiday hits. This made him, rather delightfully, the first American artist to secure a UK Christmas number one spot since Bing Crosby in 1942!
The elegant simplicity of the "Mad World" music video was directed by Michel Gondry, known for his knack for conjuring visual landscapes that blur the line between reality and fantasy. The video features Jules and Andrews in a hypnotically spare and slow revolving set, their solemn expressions amplifying the melancholy atmosphere of the track. Interestingly, for a space that feels vast and eerily empty, it was in fact filmed in Gondry's very own backyard. Yet another example of the director's ability to morph the ordinary into extraordinary!
Gary Jules' music, while not voluminous, has made a distinct imprint on the music industry. He proved that you don't need highly choreographed dance numbers or pyrotechnics to make a memorable music video. Sometimes, all it takes is heartfelt emotion, a hauntingly beautiful song, a good friend, and creativity akin to transforming your backyard into a dramatic stage. Riding high on the success of "Mad World," Jules certainly set a solid example for other musicians to veer away from the conventional tracks and embrace a different path, a different vision.
Disclaimer: Text might contain bits of A.I. imagination. Report mistakes
LIVE