Whether it’s his ultra-cheeky dance bop “Hokie Pokie” or the stunning dance anthem “High Heels” (with a little help from Lillias White), John Duff can be counted on to deliver soaring vocals alongside perfectly matched visuals in his productions. With his latest single “Is It A Sin”, Duff is delivering a black & white and soulful rendition of the track (from his 2021 EP Homo•Sapien) and is collaborating with one of music’s most prolific remix/producers to do so.
Hotel California pic.twitter.com/EBoK0GZ8YX
— ramonchristianphoto (@ramoncphoto) March 8, 2022
The production was co-directed by the consistently top-notch Brad Hammer (who commented on Facebook in part, that “you don’t have to believe in the bible and you surely do not have to believe in organized religion to be a good human being. Thank you John Duff for having me direct a video for a song that means so much to you, b/c it means so much to me too”! The video for the track (which you can see here) depicts Duff exclusively in black & white (a departure from his typically bright & vivid production color palette) in a church, dancing among the pews, singing to the heavens, and at several points, symbolically throwing his arms up at the altar. The track receives an extra jolt of danceability from legendary remixer/producer Eric Kupper, who tosses his own undeniably classic, yet distinctly current spin on the track. Kupper took to Facebook himself to call the track a “perfectly crafted anthemic soulful pop song that is beautifully sung, and a remix that brings out the heartfelt soulfulness of John’s vocal”.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CeEI5dpDh_B/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
As for John Duff himself, he commented at length on Instagram about his inspiration for the single and video, as well as an experience with ayahuasca and an encounter that changed the trajectory of his outlook on faith entirely. “He was different than I had imagined (and not just physically). He was the embodiment of pure love – and I felt it. I still do. The books have got it all wrong. It’s simply not that serious. I wrote “Is It a Sin” as an acknowledgement of my faith in Jesus, but also as a (rhetorical) question to the church that claims to worship his inherent propensity for understanding, forgiveness, and love. Thank you, Jesus – for saving me. But, Miss Church girl, I have to ask; “If all’s forgiven, than why am I imprisoned?”
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Been online friends with Brad for a while now, he makes some good gay videos.