Nashville singer-songwriter Aaron Espe's new EP Wonder is out today, and along with its release, he has shared a video for lead single "Amazing Incredible Things."
The clip— directed by John Niño and scripted by Stephen Clark — shows the life of a 9-5 dad, working away in an office while he dreams of spending time with his children.
Espe himself is a father and draws inspiration from his three sons for his unique blend of folk and pop music. He says Wonder was born from trying to capture the childhood magic that he sees in his children every day:
I remember watching my oldest son play with his toys, the way he is on the cover of this EP, and being happy for him that he was in Neverland, so to speak. I was also slightly sad, though, not having the keys anymore, or having forgotten the secret password to get in. This song explores all that.
This exploration of childhood wonder extends to the rest of the record as well.
I'm not proud of this, but my default setting is to be a little bit cynical. I work to not be, though, and this EP is proof. Six songs about looking at the world without cynicism. You want to know who isn't cynical? Kids. They're believers. This project is dedicated to them, specifically my three sons, Silas, August, and Lorentz.
The theme to the music is seeing the world again through a child's eyes. By living vicariously through my children, I get a second chance to experience things for the first time. It's easy to get lost in the shuffle, become stuck on the little things, and forget. My kids help me to remember to be amazed. It's pretty cool to enjoy the simple experiences like looking at bugs, swinging swings, sitting by a fire together, or kicking a ball around. I've been more intentional about making 'being present' a priority. It comes through on the new EP.
Watch the video for "Amazing Incredible Things" below, where you can also listen to Wonder in its entirety. The release is out now via Nettwerk.
The clip— directed by John Niño and scripted by Stephen Clark — shows the life of a 9-5 dad, working away in an office while he dreams of spending time with his children.
Espe himself is a father and draws inspiration from his three sons for his unique blend of folk and pop music. He says Wonder was born from trying to capture the childhood magic that he sees in his children every day:
I remember watching my oldest son play with his toys, the way he is on the cover of this EP, and being happy for him that he was in Neverland, so to speak. I was also slightly sad, though, not having the keys anymore, or having forgotten the secret password to get in. This song explores all that.
This exploration of childhood wonder extends to the rest of the record as well.
I'm not proud of this, but my default setting is to be a little bit cynical. I work to not be, though, and this EP is proof. Six songs about looking at the world without cynicism. You want to know who isn't cynical? Kids. They're believers. This project is dedicated to them, specifically my three sons, Silas, August, and Lorentz.
The theme to the music is seeing the world again through a child's eyes. By living vicariously through my children, I get a second chance to experience things for the first time. It's easy to get lost in the shuffle, become stuck on the little things, and forget. My kids help me to remember to be amazed. It's pretty cool to enjoy the simple experiences like looking at bugs, swinging swings, sitting by a fire together, or kicking a ball around. I've been more intentional about making 'being present' a priority. It comes through on the new EP.
Watch the video for "Amazing Incredible Things" below, where you can also listen to Wonder in its entirety. The release is out now via Nettwerk.