Crush Club Gets ‘Higher’ With First Music Video

If you take a listen to NYC-based disco-dance duo Crush Club, it will come as no surprise they find Prince a huge inspiration. In fact, their new choral-pop track, “Higher,” began as something of an ode to the late artist.

“The verse started as a message to Prince after his death,” says Crush Club’s TC Milan.  “We were both really shook and saddened by his sudden departure and we couldn’t not sing to him, he’s inspired us our whole lives.”

From there, Milan says, “Higher” evolved into “a bigger message about getting through the difficult moments we all face in life.”

“We all know what it’s like to be so down and out,” he tells INTO, “but hopefully, most of us know what it’s like to move past those tough times, when we can lift up and get higher. That’s not always the case for everyone, though. This song is really for them.”

In the group’s first-ever music video, directed by Graham Fielder, Milan finds himself alone with a horse in the middle of the desert. He gets on its back to ride amongst the cacti and happens upon backup vocalist Nicki B, who joins him in the chorus (“Get up, get up to get higher!”), then Crush Club guitarist Le Chev, who is brought back to life to join in the call.

“I grew up riding horses professionally so having this be the first visual for Crush Club feels right,” Milan says. The video was shot in Scottsdale, Arizona using rare vintage Russian anamorphic lenses, lending themselves well to the inspirational sunlight-to-sundown setting.

“We shot the video in eight hours and chased the sun right to the very end,” Milan says. He finds the visuals to be representative of the song’s hopeful message.

“‘Higher’ is that elevated space where you’re your truest self,” he says. “‘Higher’ is where you want to be!

Image by Bryson Andrew Lozano