Official Music Video Release - Dear God by Shawnee Kish
I’m proud to officially share the music video for Dear God by the incredibly talented Shawnee Kish. This is a project that speaks volumes through both its message and its visuals. When Shawnee first sent this song to me, I knew it was something special: raw, emotional, and fiercely honest.
From the start, Shawnee described Dear God as a reckoning with identity, spirituality, and the pain of being judged for who you are - especially as someone who identifies as being two-spirit. My role as director was to amplify her truth and support it visually, using imagery that reflected the weight and beauty of that message.
We shot the video in the hauntingly beautiful ghost town of Dorothy, Alberta, just outside Drumheller. It’s a place that feels like time forgot it and that stillness helped us explore themes like isolation, resilience, memory, and spiritual survival. Every element in the video from lighting and framing to costume and performance was crafted to carry emotional meaning.
What I love most about directing projects like this is the opportunity to use visual metaphors to elevate the story. Dear God includes imagery of erasure, grief, reclamation, and rebirth symbolic of the emotional landscape Shawnee sings about. I LOVE LOVE LOVE these images below:
Working with Shawnee Kish has been an honour. She’s not just a phenomenal singer-songwriter, but also she’s an incredible storyteller with real purpose and voice. I’m constantly inspired by her music and artistry and I’m proud to have played a small part in helping this message come to life.
This video comes from a place of passion, collaboration, and deep respect for Shawnee’s beautiful lyrics, the communities this video represents and for the power of storytelling through music. There’s more to come but for now, I hope this video resonates with you as deeply as it did with all of us involved. Thank you for watching and for supporting Canadian artists who are unafraid to speak their truth.
Credits:
Producer: Justin Kueber & Jen Kish
Director: Justin Kueber
Director of Photography: Sam Reid
1st AC: Nolan Solomun
Gaffer/Grip: Brandon Knudson
Actors: Jesse Gladue & Andrew Hoffman
Mohawk Speaker: Kriistii Grace
Production Company: Guerrilla Motion Pictures
With thanks to: @factorcanada for making this project possible
