Ep. 62 - Philip Andelman on Khruangbin, Lenny Kravitz and Waiting on the World to Change

Philip Andelman’s inspired take on the language and rhythm of music videos has impacted the medium in countless ways. The results are evident in his collaborations with contemporary artists, including Usher, Melissa Etheridge, Ludacris, Maxwell, d4vd, James Bay and Taylor Swift. Formative experiences with Annie Leibowitz launched his entry-point into photography. After NYU, continued experiential education under the guidance of Joseph Kahn, the legend, exposed Philip to the world of music videos with an ethos to help keep head above water. He worked as a second unit director on some of the most pivotal music videos ever made, including Moby’s Southside and U2’s Elevation. Soon after came the opportunity to step into the director’s chair for the first of six video collaborations with Lenny Kravitz, beginning with 2004’s Where Are We Runnin - a hedonistic exploration of faith. Some of the notable videos in Philip’s catalogue include John Mayer’s Waiting on the World to Change; Duck Sauce’s It’s You; Fiona Apple and Andrew Bird’s Left Handed Kisses; Miriam, by Norah Jones; and Beyonce’s Halo, featuring Michael Ealy. In our conversation, we discussed the origins of his journey and upbringing in France and New York; the grant he received from Martin Scorsese; the artistry in working with Maxwell; showing Jay-Z what he thought was an unfinished video; and a fateful Samsung commercial he directed. We also discussed his degree of versatility, and its effect on transcending genre.

Opening Credits: Anitek - Tab & Anitek - Mina I CC BY-NC-ND 3.0; Genx Beats - Lofi Beats - 01 Always (Lofi Mix) I CC BY 3.0. Closing Credits: HoliznaPATREON - Tapping On The Roof I CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.