CORVYX is back with a brand new video and it’s quite possibly his biggest and best one yet. His Mother Monster Mashup is the ultimate tribute to pop phenomenon and icon Lady Gaga and the first mashup he’s ever done on his channel. I got the chance to talk with CORVYX in depth about how he chose the songs for this mashup, what Lady Gaga means to him and where this video ranks for him personally among all of the other videos he’s done. Keep reading to see what he had to say!
I had originally intended to release the song in October but knew it wasn’t at the stage I thought it could be so I made a difficult, but ultimately smart, decision. Postponing it until the New Year felt like the right thing to do. Riding the energy of her recent Golden Globe/Oscar buzz nominations and her newest venture with the ENIGMA residency in Las Vegas, Gaga has only further sealed her place in the pop culture hall of fame. And so I think paying homage to her legacy now feels right.
What does Lady Gaga mean to you, both personally and as an artist?
Gaga represents the absolute extreme of how an artist can express him/herself without limitation and continue to evolve and reach success by trusting his/her artistic instincts. She took pop and the mainstream world and molded IT. Not the other way around. Personally, I think her resilience and endless commitment to bettering herself as an artist and a humanitarian is humbling. For an icon with a wealth of career milestones, to want to continually grow, evolve, and become better means that there is never a lack of inspiration. I see a lot of myself and who I want to become as an artist and a person in the career trajectory of Gaga.
How did you choose the songs that you included in the mashup?
The songs I chose to include in the mashup were manifestations of the vibe I wanted this tribute to embody. I could not possibly cover the entire GAGA discography. So I chose the more anthemic Gaga records that would make people leave the bar if they were at a club. That “OH SHIT I CAN’T BELIEVE THEY’RE PLAYING THIS SONG” song. Luckily, Gaga has a TON of songs that make people want to dance. I chose my personal favorite tracks from The Fame, The Fame Monster, Born This Way, and the ArtPop eras.
What inspired the concept for the video?
I wouldn’t necessarily say there was a concrete “concept” or narrative for this #CORVYXCover in particular. I was more focused on creating visuals that could pay homage to some of Gaga’s most iconic music videos, choreography, and fashion. Longtime collaborator and friend, Ashley DeLane Burger, choreographed the shit out of this video. We paid very close attention to detail while brainstorming/feeling out the choreography for this, knowing if we did not execute in a way the “Little Monsters” saw fit, they would eat us alive (And they still might. Hopefully not). It was tricky creating visuals that paid tribute while also creating something new and aesthetically stimulating, but I think we nailed it.
What was the filming process like? What was the biggest challenge you encountered while filming it?
Filming took about 5 hours, but we had an absolute blast filling out the beautiful venue provided by the NYC Arts Cypher, located in my hometown, Staten Island, NY. We had been rehearsing this piece for well over 2 months, and we were excited to finally be in the space, camera-ready with all of the elements aligned. The biggest challenge we encountered was reworking some of the choreography to fit the space and executing the visuals with the monster nails I wore for this one (Worth it!).
I know you’ve told me in past interviews that you like to be as involved as possible in the choreography. How involved were you coming up with the choreography for this particular video?
In more movement based pieces, I’m heavily involved. Ashley (Burger) really took the reins choreographing this one. She would start rehearsals with a complete routine in mind and we’d tweak together along the way. I direct from my gut and my visuals NEED to evoke a feeling. I try to communicate my vision as best I can, and Ashley helps me execute it technically.
As someone who loves graffiti, I personally loved the set design and thought it added it a lot of edge to the video. Did you guys create all the art on the walls yourselves or was that already there at the place you filmed it?
I WISH I can say that I did those murals myself, however, the credit must go to the incredibly talented local artists of the NYC Arts Cypher. We did some searching for this music video in particular because I felt it couldn’t be a random venue. It needed to match the intensity I envisioned for this piece. The gritty, moody ambiance of the NYC Arts Cypher felt like the exact energy I wanted to bring to this production. Big shoutout and thank you to them!
Gaga’s alienesque facial protrusions and provocative fashion of the Born This Way era was something that nobody in the pop world dared to approach. Most artists were being packaged like everyone else, and she intentionally gave the world the opposite. She was the pop world’s Marilyn Manson. I wanted to provide that same shock factor while paying homage to her legacy. Makeup By: Vanessa Scarola (@Contoura_Deville)
Where does this video rank for you personally in terms of videos you’ve done?
This is definitely one of my biggest and most challenging ventures in terms of production, both sonically and visually. This music video took the most preparation with 2-month rehearsals, meetings, and production. It is definitely the most realized cover I have done to date. This tribute is also the first major mashup I have done in the span of my YouTube career which automatically makes it something special. I think I’ve done Gaga justice, and I’m proud of this project. I cannot rank my videos because I feel like I’m choosing a favorite child (we all know there’s a favorite but it’s like the unspoken truth that the parents choose to ignore). I will say that this one’s a big deal for me.
Unfortunately, this single will not be available on streaming platforms. However, he is providing MP3 downloads for all of his Patrons and supporters on Patreon!
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