Back in April, LA songwriter Claude Fontaine dropped a self-titled LP fusing influences of pop-reggae and bossa nova, enlisting an all-star cast of contributors to play in her backing band. Nesting sensually among the album’s brass and steel drums, though, is the quiet ballad “Pretending He Was You,” in which you can practically smell the cigar smoke and feijoada filling the studio it was recorded in.
Today the songwriter is sharing a video for the track, which feels like a natural visual component—Fontaine sits in the spotlight of what looks like a ’60s TV program plucking an acoustic guitar alongside her band. “This video is an homage to the live in-studio TV programs that would feature musicians from around the globe in the 1960s and ’70s,” she explains. “More often than not, those programs are the only footage I’ve ever seen of some of my most favorite Brazilian and international singers, which I cherish like artifacts. This is my nod to them.”
Watch the video below, and score a copy of Claude Fontaine via Innovative Leisure. If you’re on the West Coast, catch her on tour at the dates listed beneath the video.
Tour Dates
Wed. Nov. 13 – Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom
Fri. Nov. 15 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah
Sat. Nov 16 – Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room
Sun. Nov 17 – Malibu Canyon, CA @ Mercado Sagrado
