Mark Clennon presents a music video for Don’t Start A Fire, a poignant new single released in November 2020, following his sophomore EP Passion (2019). This is also the Toronto crooner’s first song off his upcoming EP Foreign, due out March 19th via Bonsound. The EP is available to pre-order now.
Through the lens of Montreal-based director Christian Boakye-Agyeman, the music video, which premiered earlier today via Afropunk and Exclaim!, sees Clennon working through emotions and feelings while dancing and singing alone in his apartment, like a madman. I wanted to be in the place where I felt the most comfortable in the world and that’s my apartment, it’s also the space where the events that inspired me to write the song took place, says the future-soul artist about the images that accompany his words.
Watch and share the music video for Don’t Start A Fire on Youtube.
The song is available on all music services.
On Don’t Start A Fire, the Toronto-based artist explores relationship ambiguity and the far too common phenomenon of playing with another person’s feelings. Inspired by his own experience of being strung along through a one-sided relationship, this song encapsulates what the Jamaican-born musician is all about, using his powerful, touching voice to honestly sing over this sweeping track.
Clennon’s upcoming EP Foreign is his most honest project to date. This collection of original tracks and remixes sees him fully embrace his outsider-ness, while highlighting his struggle to balance his Jamaican roots with his Canadian background. With the help of his musical sidekicks, production duo Rainer + Grimm (The Weeknd’s Wicked Games and Drake’s Shot For Me), and Joey Sherrett (Nate Husser), he explores themes of belonging, relationship ambiguity, the deconstruction of stereotypes, and authenticity.
About Mark Clennon
Born in Jamaica to a musical family, Clennon’s father was a Trenchtown-bred saxophone player, and his brother became a successful dancehall producer. Participation in Jamaican Pantomimes while growing up inspired him to take a theatrical approach to his music, which today is reflected in his aesthetics, his erratic dance moves and his compelling stage presence. The artist left his home country at age 15 and struggled to find a balance between his Jamaican roots and growing into being Torontonian. The thriving RnB scene of the city is motivating for Clennon, though he often feels stuck between two cultures and realities, and is constantly trying to figure out how to bring together both sides. Mark Clennon makes music that is both grandiose and humble by mixing together a variety of genres. The crooner delivers honest, touching lyrics in his powerful voice over sweeping compositions. Clennon’s versatile beats and lyricism mesh together to create an empowering, emotional and captivating sound.