Madonna‘s daughter Lourdes Leon — who records under the name Lolahol — dropped the music video for her spooky new single “Spelling,” and the production features references to her mom’s video for her 1998 hit “Frozen.”
Videos by American Songwriter
Leon explained the homage in an Instagram post, sharing the special connection she and her mom have with the “Frozen” video. “This piece is very special,” she wrote. “It’s an homage to my mother’s timeless piece of art ‘Frozen.’ That piece has come up countless times in my life, connecting the two of us. I would be nothing without the woman who brought me into the world. I revere her, and hope that this translates.”
[RELATED: Madonna’s Daughter Lordes Leon Makes Music Debut with “Lock and Key”]
The “Spelling” video was directed by Claire Farin — whose directing credits include the video for Noah Cyrus’ “I Burned LA Down” — and features direct references to set pieces from the “Frozen” video. Additional references come in the form of Leon dressed in a flowing black gown and floating above the ground, transforming into a mass of black birds, and turning into a Doberman as she crawls through a foggy forest.
“Frozen” featured many of these images as well. Directed by Chris Cunningham, “Frozen” had Madonna as a dark, witch-like entity in a billowing black dress, flying over the scorched earth as a flock of birds and turning into a black dog.
The track itself is ethereal and trippy, shifting through shadows and fog while Leon intones her lyrics over a slow, slick beat. It picks up around the 2:37 minute mark, transforming into a showcase of Leon’s rhythmic prowess. She studied dance at the University of Michigan, and the “Spelling” video features her and two others writhing, twisting, and contorting themselves in a forest clearing.
This new track is a follow up to Leon’s 2022 debut song, “Lock & Key,” part of her EP Go. Her music is singularly her own, but one can’t help but notice Madonna’s subtle influence, not only in the video, but in the song itself. “Spelling” is very similar to “Frozen” in composition, making it truly an homage to Leon’s bond with her mom.
Photo by Mariano Regidor/Redferns
