Crispin Brooks links with Shara Vallee on “Runaway”

Raised by parents who were writers and teachers, Crispin Brooks was immersed in both music and visual storytelling from an early age, studying classical piano by six, taking formal art classes by eleven and reading widely before his career moved through journalism, graphic design and film. His fascination with music was visual from the beginning, sparked by early MTV videos in the mid-80s and the melodies and jingles of Nickelodeon and Sesame Street. Storytelling has remained the thread connecting everything he does, whether writing songs, directing videos, developing artists or working through music publishing.

After returning to the Caribbean in the late 2000s, Crispin began shooting music videos before moving into songwriting for soca bands and solo artists. Working across the smaller islands of the Northeastern Caribbean, he developed a reputation for helping artists construct the world around their music while his work as a label owner and artist manager saw him guide Nyne and Shara Vallee towards several local and regional hits, with Nyne helping bring island pop further into view across Anguilla and St. Maarten/St. Martin.

That combination of music and visual ambition now comes together in “Run Away,” a collaboration between Crispin Brooks, Shara Vallee and Willo. Based in Anguilla and shaped by Caribbean rhythm, the track marks a new chapter for Crispin through his media entity, The Dream Jungle/The Dream Jungle Publishing. Willo, also known as Jemal Willock, provided the beat that triggered the chorus, while Shara supplies the vocal at the heart of the track. The creative relationships run deep, with Crispin having worked with Willo across several releases and Shara, his cousin, having collaborated with him across genres.

“Run Away” reflects the wide array of influences that have informed Crispin’s Caribbean ear; growing up around reggae, dancehall, soca, calypso, zouk, bouyon and kompas, he also absorbed hip hop, 90s pop, R&B, dance, house and rock. That mixture feeds into a sound where island cadence meets slick pop structure, resulting in an uplifting, bouncy dance pop track driven by grooving rhythms and an uplifting island aesthetic.

But the hook was never simply a hook for Brooks, it was the beginning of a scene and once the chorus took hold, he began imagining a wedding. True to the visual stylings that have followed him throughout his career, the musical idea quickly became a tale, with Crispin looking for a way to turn the familiar wedding-crasher setup in an unexpected direction. His affection for the classic music-video era of the 80s and 90s is written into that approach, when pop videos could function as miniature worlds filled with characters, styling, lighting, choreography and genuine storylines.

“Run Away” flips the familiar script and rather than a man interrupting a wedding to reclaim the bride, its groom remains drawn towards an ex, transforming him into the runaway. Filmed in Anguilla, including Green Space park, the video moves between outdoor locations and expansive drone views over the water, using the island landscape to highlight ideas of escape, freedom and the magnetic pull of love. Alongside that sense of scale, Crispin leaves space for the quirky and comedic moments that give the story its own personality.

Shara is also given the chance to step beyond her usual artistic comfort zone, taking on a character and becoming part of the visual story in a different way. Behind the scenes, recording engineer Sheraul “Shay” Hughes, editor Ralston Smith, producer Lauraine Gumbs and the wider cast and crew helped bring the wedding world into existence. The release presents beginning of another creative chapter for Crispin Brooks and with several more singles already lined up, he’s sure to win over more and more listeners all over the world.

Watch the music video for Runaway below

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