Toronto artist Teagan Johnston has released the music video for "Yearling Female," the latest single from her recently released album, Big Time. The clip reworks a frightening real-life encounter into a choreographed statement about control and self-possession.
A Video Rooted in Reclaiming Power
The song's central themes concern reclaiming feminine power and rejecting the idea of being prey. The video pushes that idea visually, exploring the realization that a person can be just as frightening as whatever threatens them. Johnston directed the clip, which Dzesika Devic filmed, and she also choreographed the performance.
Filmed on a Toronto street where Johnston was once chased by a man, the video recasts the hunter-and-hunted dynamic as a dance in which Johnston holds the initiative. Her friend and bandmate, Jessica Lahey, plays the hunting monster.
A Video Created Before the Song Was Finished
The video was first made two years ago, when "Yearling Female" was still a demo. Johnston released that early version before deciding to keep developing the song and the album. Both were taken offline so she could revisit and refine them, and the single now arrives as part of the finished record.
Upcoming Live Dates
Johnston's touring schedule includes early November dates in Montreal at L'Esco, with LCON; in Ottawa at The Spot; and in Toronto at The Garrison, with Charm and Ivan Rivers. A later run of shows in British Columbia and nearby islands runs from November 11 to 15, including stops in Nanaimo, Duncan, Victoria, Mayne Island, Denman Island and Vancouver. Several of the British Columbia dates are marked as solo shows featuring Skye Wallace, Jasper Sloan Yip and David Vertesi.