AKA and Swept Away Reimagine The Avett Brothers' "A Gift for Melody Anne" in New Music Video
Renowned creative advertising agency AKA is thrilled to unveil the latest music video for “Swept Away,” the eagerly awaited Broadway musical featuring music by The Avett Brothers. In close collaboration with the show's producing team, AKA helped reimagine the cast’s rendition of "A Gift for Melody Anne," a fan-favorite track from the band’s iconic 2004 album Mignonette. The track was arranged and orchestrated by Brian Usifer and Chris Miller.
The music video, which premiered exclusively via PEOPLE, showcases the musical's lead actors—Tony Award-winner John Gallagher Jr., Stark Sands, Wayne Duvall, and Adrian Blake Enscoe—performing the song at Holywater, one of New York City's iconic bars. Embracing the nautical themes of Swept Away, the video offers audiences a first look at the heart and soul of this emotionally charged new musical.
“A music video with our cast seemed the perfect way to pay homage to The Avett Brothers and show fans how their beloved music has evolved for Broadway. To feel as emotional and authentic as the Avett’s themselves, we kept the vibe as warm and natural as possible, with a touch of storytelling and a hint at the world of the show. We knew once viewers saw our incredible cast, they’d want to join them at sea!” - Lisa Lewis, Senior Creative Director, AKA.
Following sold-out runs in Berkeley, California, and Washington, D.C., “Swept Away” is set to make waves in New York City, with performances beginning at the Longacre Theatre on Tuesday, Oct. 29, ahead of the official opening on Nov. 19. The show, based on a real-life shipwreck story from 1884, is written by Tony Award-winning writer John Logan, directed by Tony Award-winning director Michael Mayer, and features music pulled from five of The Avett Brothers' albums. In addition to hits like "A Gift for Melody Anne," the band also wrote an original song, "Lord Lay Your Hand on My Shoulder," for the production. With its unique blend of folk-rock melodies and powerful storytelling, Swept Away is poised to be one of Broadway’s standout productions this season.
Tickets for Swept Away are now on sale. To view the exclusive music video of "A Gift for Melody Anne," visit this link, and for more information on the show, visit the official website here.
CREDITS:
AKA CEO: Elizabeth Furze
Chief Creative Officer: Miky Wolf
Senior Creative Director: Lisa Lewis
Directors: Lisa Lewis and Samuel Veal
Director of Photography: Chris Vongsawat
Editor: David Rothstadt
Color: Alex Jimenez, Color Collective
Producer: David Shum
Art Director: Kevin Burke
Associate Director of Social Media: Sara Robillard
Account Team: Robert Jones, Stephanie Cichy, Abby Doermann, Alivia Nosrati
