Chris Daughtry, the frontman of the rock band Daughtry, is ready to shake people to their core with the jarring and cinematic music video for his newest single, “Artificial.”
Confronts Robotic Future
Produced by Scott Stevens, this clip puts an AI-run world front and center. Daughtry serves as the lead character, fighting for his freedoms in a universe over-run by man-made machinery.
He is prepared in his fight, showing some serious manpower with ripped arms and a chiseled chest. But does his human muscle strength win in the end?
Toward the end of the video, which was shot in one day in the Los Angeles valley in 110-degree weather, Daughtry realizes he’s a test subject and comes face-to-face with his Cyborg clone, set to replace him.
Footage of Daughtry performing the song in the middle of a city in ruins are interspersed throughout select scenes, keeping with the dramatic theme of the clip.
“Welcome to your worst nightmare / Days are getting dark, you should be scared / It doesn’t have a heart / Plug into the new you, don’t resist / ‘Cause it’s no use, it’s no use / It’s digital warfare,” Daughtry sings amid a backdrop of torn down buildings and fire. “The death of who we are is right here / It’s never gonna stop / Plug into your new soul, ice cold / Mechanical, artificial.”
Watch Daughtry’s “Artificial” Music Video Below
Explained The Concept Behind The Music Video
Daughtry recently opened up about the concept of the video, during a Live Q&A session on YouTube, telling fans that “this concept was very much influenced by some of the older psy-fi films, Terminator in particular, and a little Ex Machina, Westworld even. Just inspired by the idea that man creates the machine, the machine gets rid of man.”
“It was the most fun I had making the video, but it was also the most work I put into making a video. Not only mentally, but physically,” he added. “Just from being involved from the ground up and making sure the backgrounds felt right, we leaned in hard on a lot of the practical effects, which were a lot of fun.”
Lots Of Preparations To Get His Body In Shape
Chris Daughtry also shared his preparations for the role of the video, making sure to note his physique and what it took for him to get his body into tip-top shape.
“This didn’t just happen for the video,” he says of his athletic build. “This has been years in the making. As many of you have been following me and my fitness journey over the years, I started taking it really seriously after COVID-19. I’ve been into it my whole life.”
He continued, “My fascination with action films and comic books was the catalyst for my wanting to look this way. As a kid, I was always obsessed with bodybuilding magazines and comic books, where, of course, everyone is shredded. And I was like, I’ve always wanted to look like an action figure. So I was like, ‘Fu– it. I’m going to do it. I’m going to do what it takes, and I’m going to take it very seriously.’”
Daughtry went on to credit his fitness coach Fraser Bayley, who he says has “been influential in helping me navigate all of the things in regards to timing, training, diet, what to eat when.”
“The weeks leading up to the video shoot were the most militant, and methodical, and strategic, and he is a wizard in his knowledge of how to manipulate the body and make certain things look great on camera,” he added. “On the day of the shoot, I was carbloading, eating rice cakes, sun butter, dates, and a little jelly every hour. At the end of the shoot, I had the biggest pizza called The Meat Jesus…. Then we went hard on some donuts from Donut Friends. The next day, it’s back on the train, eating clean and in the gym.”
Recently Signed With Big Machine Records
“Artificial” serves as the first taste of new material from the Grammy-nominated band in over two years following its newly announced partnership with Big Machine Records.
“‘Artificial’ is about the potential nightmare that AI could become and the idea that everything and everyone could eventually be replaced, essentially to perfection, and rendered obsolete,” Daughtry explains of the song in a press release. “However, the heart and soul of humanity, and the ability to feel love, sadness, and compassion, can never be replaced. While there are plenty of applications where AI can improve our lives and assist in many areas of creativity, I feel it’s imperative that we find a way to protect our musicians, actors, writers, and all creative outlets from being destroyed.”
Additionally, Daughtry is currently on the road as part of his Bare Bones Tour, with 26 U.S. dates, taking him through the fall. Ayron Jones serves as the opener on select dates of the trek.
For a full listing of Daughtry tour dates, visit the band’s official website HERE.
