“No Bad Days” is the latest single from the current American Songwriter cover star, Macklemore. It’s an upbeat, positive-minded song and the music video was directed by the Seattle-born rapper’s seven-year-old daughter, Sloane.
Here’s the story behind “No Bad Days” and its accompanying music video.
Videos by American Songwriter
‘Ben’
On March 3 of this year, the two-times Diamond-certified rapper Macklemore released his latest solo studio LP, Ben. The artist, known for hits like “Thrift Shop” and “Glorious,” released his most recent single and accompanying music video for the track, “No Bad Days,” just ahead of the LP drop.
Ben boasts 15 songs and was started prior to the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. The ensuing lockdown, though, halted its production and even caused Macklemore (born Ben Haggerty), who publicly identifies as an addict, to relapse. He talked about that with Kelly Clarkson and Jimmy Fallon.
But with a renewed sense of self and sobriety, Macklemore forged ahead, writing tracks and, once the pandemic was over, releasing them. Hits include “Chant” and “Maniac.” And the most recent single was “No Bad Days,” a song that talks about the positive side of life. The idea, though idealistic in nature, is that there can be no wrong or bad times alive.
“No Bad Days”
The song, which features singer Collett, is the second track on Macklemore’s 2023 LP. It was written by Macklemore, along with Joshua Karp, Tyler Andrews, Chloe Gasparini and Dave Dalton. It was produced by longtime Macklemore collaborator, Budo, and marked the fifth single released by Macklemore ahead of Ben‘s ultimate release day.
The song is all about taking the best of life, with one stanza rapped by Macklemore including the lines:
Nobody want to say goodbye
We just want to stay up, that’s right
Don’t got to say goodnight
If you never wake up
Yeah yeah yeah
Sloane Haggerty, Director
Macklemore’s seven-year-old daughter Sloane Haggerty directed the charming music video for the song and came up with many of the outlandish, even silly ideas for the video, including dying her father’s hair and putting him on a horse. She also came up with the green screen idea (even if she didn’t know at first what a green screen was.)
Leading up to the single and video drop, Macklemore shared several clips of him working with Sloane on the ideas. Fans can check out a few of those videos on his Twitter account HERE and HERE.
On February 16 this year, Macklemore and Sloane filmed scenes for the video at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena during a Seattle Kraken hockey game. The rapper famously owns a piece of the new NHL franchise, along with others like football star Marshawn Lynch. Macklemore and Sloane also filmed portions of the video in Los Angeles.
Final Thoughts
Mary Lambert, who collaborated with Macklemore on the iconic song, “Same Love,” posted on Facebook recently that she loves the rapper for many reasons, including his sincerity. “One of my favorite things about you [Macklemore] is that you are relentlessly earnest,” she wrote. “You feel a deep sense of responsibility to spread goodness & healing to the world through storytelling, and you are fucking great at it.”
That “relentlessly earnest” sensibility is evident on “No Bad Days,” a song that Macklemore used to promote the joy on his new album and include his daughter in her first-ever major directorial release. What could be better?
Photo by Scott Legato/Getty Images
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