Video Premiere: Steve Taetz – “Making Room”
By Christopher Treacy & Steven Taetz
Back when his last single, “Late Bloom,” was our Song of the Week, Steven Taetz engaged in a Q&A with us about his forthcoming album, also titled Late Bloom, which is being released on February 16. In it, he talked about the Americana-tinged, singer-songwriter feel of the new record and how he arrived back at that musical M.O. after making a name for himself as a jazz crooner, particularly in and around Ontario and Western New York. Taetz revealed that the new songs have themes of queer empowerment within them. “Making Room” is one of those songs, as he explains below. Today, we bring you the premiere of the “Making Room” video—a sexy B&W kiss-off.
I wrote the song so that on the surface, at first listen, you might hear it as an ultimatum, sung from one lover to another, to either change their ways ‘or else’. As the chorus lyrics say, “If you don’t change your mind or change your tune, then I’m Making Room.”
Below that surface, however, is a queer empowerment anthem about making one’s own space if (people / industry / the world) doesn’t make space. “If you don’t wanna make a place at the table,… then I’m Making Room.”
Daniel Ledwell produced the track with me, borrowing from a combination of Beach Boys vibes—full stacks of tight vocal harmonies—and Danger Mouse’s rocking production style (lots of gritty guitars and lively drums), making for a very hooky, country-meets-rock/pop track.
In the music video, Director Todd Neilson creates a slick looking Black and White throw-back nod to the ‘60s, complete with James Dean T’s and varsity jackets, as I sort through my lovers items before throwing them (the items and lover) out the door. We had a blast including some TikTok-ready dance moves near the end of the video.