Ponthier made mood boards for every costume, hairstyle, and makeup option. She name-checks Death Becomes Her, The Witches, and Troll 2 as just a few of the “forty or so” films that she pulled visual inspiration from over the years-long process of bringing “Cowboy” to life. The video features Ponthier alternating between her human form—outfitted in a crimson-red rockabilly suit—and her true form, a guitar-strumming alien with seafoam green skin.
“I take a lot of ownership over everything in the video, only because I’m a little micro-manage-y about all of the details,” she laughs. The shoot marked her first experience working with a director—Jordan Bahat, who previously helmed Christine and the Queens’ “Girlfriend.” “He really let me take the lead with the creative direction, and wasn’t precious about what he was supposed to bring to the table. I had so many questions and he wanted to include me in everything,” Ponthier says.
With her first EP due later this year, Ponthier already has her sights set on what comes next. She’s in the process of writing new music steeped in her country roots, as well as songs with more of an electro-pop influence; she idolizes Imogen Heap, and would love to collaborate with Fiona Apple some day.
The process of creating “Cowboy” gave Ponthier a much-needed shift in perspective on those developmental years in Texas, where she felt like an alien in a foreign land.
“I’m in a position now to talk about things that have hurt me or that I wasn’t previously aware of,” she says. “The stories I have to tell now are so much better than the stories I felt comfortable sharing when I was younger. I think everything ended up happening exactly the way it was supposed to.”