Yousef and Paloma Faith join forces in this modern twist on the Frankenstein story, in the video for Monster. 

Following the release of her BBC documentary Paloma Faith: As I Am, the fan-favourite single gets a vintage-inspired visual. Directed by Yousef with creative direction from long-time friend and collaborator Theo Adams, it takes the idea of the Monster head-on, by offering a new feminist take on Frankenstein with melodramatic Giallo and Bollywood stylistic influences. 

Though Faith is noticeably absent from the video, the concept is carried spectacularly by each of the performers, as well as Yousef's masterful use of cinematic language and mix of traditional and contemporary elements, to create something fresh and exciting.

Featuring mesmerising VFX work at the climax - a given, considering the director's skillset - the video is left hanging on the question, who is the Monster? The women, the monster at the end, or the doctor himself? 

“The doctor represents society in general, showing how women are silenced, manipulated physically and mentally and then cast aside like they're nothing," comments Yousef. "Relating to the music industry which Paloma's lyrics are about, it shows how artists are churned out, disrespected and disregarded.

"The aesthetic of the video is heavily inspired by the Italian horror genre epitomised by Giallo and Dario Argento’s supernatural horrors Suspiria (1977) and Inferno (1980), as well as vintage Frankenstein films like James Whale’s Frankenstein (1931).”

Paloma Faith confirms that the inspiration for the song was personal. "Monsters is about my relationship with the music industry. and my career as a whole," she has commented.

"There's this weird sense of feeling that women in the industry have a shelf life. With the video for Monster myself and Yousef wanted to reflect how society in general treats women whether it's physically or mentally. The male figure in this video decides and discards his pound of flesh.”

Prettybird executive Producer Chris Murdoch commented: “This was a very special project for us. The combined creative geniuses of Yousef and Theo Adams working together to create pure magic. As well as representing Yousef at Prettybird, we also have Theo on our roster as a Creative Director. This collaboration with Paloma on Monster was the perfect platform to combine their powers.”