Hilary Cousins, a versatile singer-songwriter from New England now based in Los Angeles, infuses his music with a rich blend of folk, indie-rock, and Americana influences. His songs are marked by evocative lyrics that explore themes of love, loss, and the quest for meaning in a complex world, all wrapped in engaging melodies and compelling rhythms. Alongside his music career, Cousins works in media production and live events, where he takes on roles such as writer, content manager, filmmaker, editor, and audio engineer. As he continues to perform across Southern California, Cousins' music is gaining international traction, with his tracks amassing over 40,000 streams in the past year. Last month, Hilary released his new single, "Island," and today we're treated to its music video!
Photo Credit: Hilary Cousins
Hilary Cousins’ music video for "Island" opens in a stark, desolate desert, establishing the mood for the song's themes of isolation and identity. The video is filled with evocative imagery, featuring Cousins sitting on a tattered chair and walking through a door frame in hauntingly empty surroundings, alongside scenes of an abandoned town and old cars.
Cousins’ unique vocal stylings and deep, projective delivery bring an indie-classic rock vibe to the track, enhanced by an emotive guitar solo. The song's poetic lyricism portrays a narrator grappling with feelings of loss and displacement, with stream-of-consciousness lines like "I saw the headless horseman/He said he didn't feel much pain/I met the unknown soldier/He said ‘why didn't they ask for my name.’"
"I've always known that my songs dance across genres and styles... I can't seem to stay in one lane. "Island" is a perfect example of that. It's kind of gentle sounding and acoustic, but it has alt-folk drum machines, moody keyboards, and segues into driving rock guitars. And the lyrics are sweet but also edgy at the same time. The fact that it's not easily categorized is why it's one of my favorite songs and one I'm very proud of." - Hilary Cousins
The chorus resonates with the struggle of desolation, with lines like "Drifting from shelter/Drifting so far from you/Drifting between faith and doubt" capturing the essence of searching for one’s identity amidst uncertainty. It also conveys a longing for stability, as expressed in the lines "I only wish I had a rock / I only wish I found a rock / To harbor my load / To tether my bones."
Stef caught up with Hilary Cousins to talk about his music and the"Island" music video!
SJ: Hi Hilary! We’re so excited to talk about your track and new music video.
HC: Thanks, I appreciate having the opportunity.
SJ: You describe yourself as a folk, indie-rock, Americana artist. How did your musical journey start, and how has it evolved over the years?
HC: I was always doing music as a kid, playing in the school band, studying jazz in high school, and playing guitar in my family’s church. In college, I got interested in film studied literature, and was drawn to writing. I pursued journalism for a while and experimented with playwriting and short stories. Even though I went on to work in the film industry, and worked on screenplays, I was more attracted to the art of songwriting. I realized that the folk/rock song form and the whole three-chords and the truth tradition combined my love of music with my interest in storytelling. So, while living in New York and working in production for my day job, I began to focus more on writing and playing these new creations. Over the years, I refined my craft, worked with great musicians and collaborators, performed and played in bands, and began the process of recording my songs.
SJ: You just released your new single, "Island" with an accompanying music video. Could you tell us the story behind writing this track and what that process looked like for you?
HC: Water imagery is something I use a lot in my writing. The kernel for the song came with the opening couplet – about being capsized in a small boat far from shore. I also had the image of being adrift on water, floating away from safety and from loved ones. These types of poetic images dictated the direction of the song and I decided to push deeper into themes of isolation, wandering, and confusion. I allowed for stream-of-consciousness ideas to just come out – and I’m glad I did because I love some of the odd scenes described by the narrator, like meeting the Unknown soldier and roaming from town to town with a Carnival.
SJ: You’re originally from New England, but are now based in Southern California. Did the change in geographic locations affect you musically? Did it affect the concept and inspiration for the music video?
HC: Yeah it affected me tremendously. Like a lot of people, I became captivated by the vastness and beauty of the California landscape, and the desert specifically. I spent a lot of time exploring the Mojave and staying in the Joshua Tree area. While there’s no water there, the desert offers you an endless horizon; it can feel like you’re floating over an ocean of land. Spending time in that environment led me to reconnect with my song "Island" and I decided to record and produce the track.
Photo Credit: Blaise Joseph
SJ: You describe the making of this music video as a "true DIY story." Can you elaborate on that story and how the music video was filmed?
HC: Because the Salton Sea is a big body of water in the middle of the desert, I thought it would be a perfect location for a music video for “Island.” Unintentionally, I ended up making the video by myself. The Salton Sea area has small towns, abandoned resorts, state parks, vast empty beaches made up of fish bones rather than sand, and weird gurgling mud flats. So I traveled around with my camera, scouting locations for what I thought would be a future shoot with other crew and collaborators. Because of my background in film production, I did a little more than just take pictures – I actually set up film shots, synced audio and video, and performed the song in various locations. At the time, I thought I was capturing sample clips that I would put together in order to determine where to film and set up in the future. As it turns out, the opportunity to go back never materialized and I realized I liked what I had captured all by myself. That’s why it really is a DIY film… I wore all the hats in the filmmaking process – location scout, cinematographer, driver, grip, sound man, director, editor, and of course on-screen talent.
SJ: What was your favorite part of the filming process? Most challenging?
HC: I think my favorite part was the freedom to experiment. It was an absolute blast to drive around, see something that was visually compelling, and then decide to compose a shot or a sequence in that spot, without worrying about how it was all going to work together. That was very special, and rare.
Probably the most challenging part of the process was setting the focus for the shot. As a camera person, you need to have a subject in your lens to make the right settings. But what do you do if you’re alone? Before going on the trip, I went to a local thrift store and bought the head off of a mannequin. In the field, I taped a pair of glasses to the head, put it on a mic stand, and placed the mannequin where I would be standing. I would set focus or move the mannequin around to compose the best shot. Then, I would make a mark, move the mannequin, turn on the camera, and take my position. It was kind of wild, and fun!
SJ: What else can we look forward to for Hilary Cousins?
HC: In September I’m releasing a music video for my song “Broken Man” which is already available on streaming platforms, and later in the fall I’ll be releasing my next single called “The Road to Corinth.” All of this is leading up to a full-length studio album which I hope to release next year.
SJ: Thanks so much for chatting! Can’t wait to hear what’s next.
HC: It was a pleasure speaking with you. Thanks for the great questions. Hope to cross paths again in the future.
Photo Credit: Blaise Joseph
LONG STORY SHORT: "Island" combines strong production and song arrangement with a reflective and immersive experience, showcasing Cousins' ability to convey profound emotions through both his music and visuals.
Stream "Island" below!
Credits:
Songwriting, Vocals, Acoustic Guitar Programming: Hilary Cousins
Wurlitzer, Organ, Synths: Chris Ranney
Electric Guitars: Tony Ungaro
Electric Guitar: Clive Wright
Bass: Eric McCann
Harmony Vocals: Mark Louis Miller
Drums, Percussion: Wally Ingram
Engineer, Mix: Ben O’Neil (Moby, Chris Isaak, Lindsey Buckingham)
Master: Streaky (Snow Patrol, Paul Weller, Ed Sheeran) Recording: Joshua Tree and Los Angeles Studios
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