The Lower East Side shines brightly in the new video for “Breaking News,” the sixth song on Indie singer-songwriter Ginger Winn‘s debut album, “Stop-Motion.” Shot on the streets of the neighborhood by director (and LES resident) Kevin Lombardo, with a local crew, the video features everyday New Yorkers getting in disagreements with each other as the singer looks on, singing in a sparkling gold sequined jacket, from a rooftop perch, atop a tenement building.
Lombardo told The Lo-Down about shooting on a shoe string in the neighborhood. He said it gave them an advantage and helped that he knows the area as a resident, so they could hop from place to place pretty easily, and were able to be spontaneous in grabbing shots, since he knew what was literally around the corner.
Winn, who is currently on tour with the Gipsy Kings (her first tour ever), spoke with us from the road. She said it was a lot of fun watching the action down on the streets and had never been on a rooftop in New York City before. “The Lower East Side is a cool area, for sure,” she said. “I’d seen it in the movies but not in real life, so I felt like I was on a movie set up there.”
For her, the song is about the ups and downs of friendship, particularly when one friend has a lot to say – all the time, as in, everything they have to say is “breaking news.” And it can be hard for the other friend (or family member) to feel heard, or even get a word in edgewise.
Winn’s co-writer is songwriter and poet Matt Baione, who is also a partner at Pitta & Baione, a 9/11 law firm that works to connect people who suffer from 9/11-related health conditions with free healthcare and financial compensation. He told The Lo-Down, “The lyrics were inspired by speaking with my 9/11 clients – a gentle reminder that we never know the struggles others are facing. Kevin’s vision for this video being shot in the 9/11 exposure zone (his neighborhood) tied it together perfectly.”
Costume designer (and Baione’s life partner), Tina Baione, explained the meaning behind Winn’s rooftop sequins, “Ginger’s wardrobe featured the same vintage sequin coat that she wore in her debut single video “Super 8.” The idea is that her coat is a collection of mirrors forcing all who see it to examine themselves. Wearing it on the roof serves as a shimmer of hope to remind people that life is too short for petty arguments. “
