SAN FRANCISCO — Jessica Drake appears in the music video for “The Answer" by Bay Area musician Ricky Lake, directed by Matt Zolly.
"The Answer" debuts on all platforms on Friday via San Francisco-based Text Me Records, and will also feature blockchain-based extras.
“Jessica put me at ease almost immediately," Lake enthused about the shoot. "We spent at least half of it just laughing.”
Lake singled out the video’s tennis scene as “a major highlight. Jessica and I got to rally a little bit back and forth. The whole shoot was hilarious and so much fun.”
“Working with Jessica was an honor and truly a great experience,” Lake concluded.
Director Zolly, whose previous credits include clips for Rosalía, Lil Yachty, Lil Nas X and Travis Scott, explained that in taking on this project, he was a little nervous about who would play Ricky's love interest.
"I really liked the idea of combining an innocent stoner dude from the city with a wealthy, attractive older woman from the suburbs, but I knew our lead would really have to fit the bill," the director said.
Upon meeting Drake, Zolly said he was “immediately impressed with her professionalism. Jessica lent herself to the production entirely and even incorporated some of her own wardrobe to help bring the character to life."
"On set, she was as cool as a cucumber," Zolly recalled. "She totally got into character and it really felt like she had seniority over Ricky, which was one of the main things I hoped to get across. In addition to the cute stuff we shot in the city for their ‘first date,’ she really led the charge during some of the more steamy moments.”
“I couldn't have asked for a better lead than Jessica Drake,” the director concluded.
This was the first project for Drake since the pandemic began. “I was starving for a role I could really sink my teeth into,” she said. “Once I heard the concept for the video and had the first meeting, I immediately grasped the creative potential of this project. Working alongside Ricky was amazing. As an artist, he has such talent in expressing himself, and in person he was no different. He was a dream to work with — funny, kind, creative and very willing. I love that in a scene partner.”
The trio also shot what they described as “steamier scenes,” which are only available as an alternate “adult video edit” available as an exclusive NFT on Glass.xyz.
“Those scenes really showcase our chemistry,” Drake added.
On Friday at 2 p.m. (PDT) Drake will join Lake, Zolly, video producer Patrick Koitzsch and Text Me’s Patrick Brown for a Twitter Space conversation about the video, hosted by Glass.xyz, where the video NFT will be up for auction.
The song's release will be accompanied by other blockchain-based marketing initiatives, including alternate song art and audio available as a one-of-one NFT on Catalog.works, song art and audio available as 25 NFT editions on Mint Songs and collectible NFTs from the video available on Mirror.xyz.
Drake is donating her share of the NFT sales to Feed The Streets, a community-based mutual aid organization that collects donated food, hygiene products, clothing and educational items.
“This will be the first NFT project I’m involved in,” Drake explained. “I can’t wait to give fans this unique opportunity to get a special piece of me, while helping out a great cause.”
Follow Jessica Drake on Twitter.
