When Brandon Stansell was scouting beach locations to film his new video, his manager offered a suggestion: El Matador beach in Malibu, California. They liked the spot, where performer Blair St. Clair (with whom Stansell shares management) had also filmed her latest video, for its natural beauty and because it was usually deserted.
“He was like, ‘Oh, you should definitely go there. It’s beautiful and no one’s there,’” says Stansell, calling from his home in Los Angeles. “And when we got there, there were like 200 people on the beach.”
You’d never know it to watch the clip for “Top Shelf,” the upbeat new single Stansell released in June. In every shot of the video, which was directed by Trent Atkinson, the singer-songwriter appears to be performing completely alone, framed against a gorgeous backdrop of rocks, sand, and sea.