DOPEST Video of the Day: "No Sleep" by Summer Payton
Opening up and letting us into her world, R&B rising star Summer Payton releases her brand new music video for single ‘No Sleep’, taken from her debut album ‘Golden Hour’. The video creatively taps into the young talent’s inner psyche, as viewers get to experience the different versions of Summer Payton, her artistic visions, and her focused attitude and drive. Inspired by the likes of Janet Jackson, Brandy and Tweet, Summer delivers a glowing brand of nostalgic soul, uniting the old-school with the contemporary, and always speaking from the heart.
Discussing the inspirations behind the single, Summer explained: “I originally produced and wrote a short version of ‘No Sleep’ when I was creating music for my friend, and fellow NYU Alum, Regina Hoyles’s short film, ‘Adullam’. Regina had brought me on to do all of the music for the short, and we shared a sense of connection because we’re both from the South Suburbs of Chicago and she wanted music that felt like home. I even referenced a popular street from our home town in the song. After I finished that project I couldn’t shake my connection to ‘No Sleep’. Probably because of that same sense of home it gives and because I had written the lyrics so based on my own life.”
She further notes: “The concept of the song essentially talks about how I work so hard, that even when I’m resting I’m still working because I work in my sleep. It’s a running joke about me among my family that I come up with my best ideas while dreaming. The song is also about how much I rely on my intuition to evaluate people and make decisions both professionally and personally. So when it was time to create my debut album, ‘Golden Hour’, I knew that it would not be complete without ‘No Sleep’ and even more so, it’s Track 1. It’s an introduction into my world and how I operate. In the music video for ‘No Sleep’ I really wanted to hammer home the working in my dreams concept. The other running joke about me is that I have a million jobs and do a million different things. In the video I wanted to showcase some of the different forms of ‘work’ I do in a cool way. So, while the main version of me is asleep, inside my brain/dreams are four other active awake versions hard at work. These are Music Producer Summer, Actor Summer, Bartender Summer, and Work Out Summer, just a sampling of all that I do in pursuit of my dreams.”
Watch “No Sleep”, our DOPEST Video of the Day, below, stream it on Spotify, and connect with Summer Payton on social media and her website.