Watch Harley Weir’s sensual new music video for Leonard Cohen. Commissioned by NOWNESS, Harley Weir directs the ‘Thanks for the Dance’ visual from Leonard Cohen’s posthumous album featuring Lily Cole and Rowan Blancard.
Three weeks before Leonard Cohen died at the age of 82 in 2016, he had released his 14th studio album, You Want it Darker. The legendary musician and writer worked prolifically and, after the release of You Want it Darker, had amassed enough material for a final album, which was released posthumously at the end of last year. In a collaboration with the Leonard Cohen estate and Sony Music Canada, NOWNESS has invited a series of artists to create music videos to accompany the album, Thanks for the Dance. Taking Cohen’s life and lyrics as inspiration, Harley Weir presents her response to the album’s title track.
“I’m a huge fan of Leonard Cohen. His lyrics are so raw and yet so warm. I am honoured to be a part of his legacy,” says Weir of her contribution to the project.
Thanks for the Dance (Film still) Courtesy of NOWNESS.
The video stars Rowan Blanchard and Lily Cole engaging in a hazy, choreography-led dreamscape, a series of colorfully evocative images informed by Weir’s signature style. There’s an attention to fabric and motion, and an inherent warmth to the molasses-slow movement present. At one point, Cole cradles three babies in her arms, embodying a stately, primal maternal attitude. It’s a gorgeous send-off to Cohen, a perfect and mature love song coupled with a distinctly feminine visual.
Watch the “Thanks for the Dance” video below.