Some coincidences seem cosmically arranged. Consider, for instance, the strange and marvelous case of the high-spirited, extraterrestrial new video from Karen Atkins. In the clip for the funky “High On Love (Can’t Get Too)”, the versatile Californian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist escapes the planet and coasts through the stars in a cherry-red Tesla Roadster. Imagine her amazement when she learned that Tesla chief Elon Musk plans to send a Roadster – the same model and color – to the Red Planet. If that happened to you, well, you might reasonably assume that the universe had sent you a message.
 
The singer won’t be in that particular space-travelling Roadster to Mars, but she identifies deeply with its mission. She’s a conscious lifestyle expert and in-demand public speaker as well as a talented musician, and she chose a Tesla for her video for a real reason. To Atkins, the electric car represents sustainability and responsibility. When she takes to outer space in the “High On Love (Can’t Get Too)” clip, she’s not just joyriding – she’s searching for a suitable home for a human race living beyond its means.

Heady stuff for a pop-rock song, to be sure – but that’s what Karen Atkins specializes in. Her songs are designed to get you to dance and sing along and think hard at the same time. Atkins never sounds down – she’s far too optimistic for that – but this expert in wellness and natural health recognizes the challenges facing humanity, and she’s profoundly adept at using the healing powers of music to address them.

The video for “High On Love (Can’t Get Too)” showcases Atkins’s artistic versatility: not only does she sing, but she plays funk guitar, rubbery bass, and piano, too. She’s made room for some remarkable performances from heralded musicians – including bassist Reggie Hamilton, who has worked with Seal and Mariah Carey, and session drummer Curt Bisquera, best known for playing with Elton John and the Beach Boys. Together with producer Xeno, they’ve created an album that’s simultaneously loose and arresting, meditative and colorful, classic and contemporary.

That playful atmosphere extends to the “High On Love (Can’t Get Too)” clip. The videogenic Atkins is at home both on earth and in the stratosphere – whether she’s riding through the cosmos in her Tesla or strumming in a field of yellow flowers, she exudes confidence and enthusiasm. The tone throughout is blithe, and planets and stars streak around the car as she sings from the passenger seat. Yet the message of planetary peril is unmistakable. Her mission: spread the word about the power of love, and raise consciousness as high as the skies.

Connect with Karen Atkins: Website