Anyone who heard Tori Martin’s stirring new single this past summer knew it was destined to climb to the top of the charts. Last Friday, it happened. LuckySky Music celebrated its third No. 1 song: “Cowgirls Ride.” The anthemic celebration of female riders was produced by Bill Warner and written by Tori Martin, Bill Diluigi, and Kirsti Manna.
It’s probably no coincidence that the single reached its much-coveted pinnacle just one week after Tori released the beautiful companion video. The panoramic production eloquently captures the quiet majesty of the scenic Texas landscape and reverberates with a rugged elegance that is wonderfully female. “Cowgirls Ride” is a cinematic triumph that gracefully champions “every woman who goes unseen.”
When something hits with the power of this video, people want to know the story behind the magic. They want to know what went into creating arguably one of the best, most visually stunning and emotionally impactful music videos of the year. Tori graciously agreed to answer a few questions about the video, her inspiration, and what it took to bring this production to life.
The “Cowgirls Ride” video is such a beautiful accompaniment to your song. It’s like a western oil painting come to life. When did you realize the song needed such a special video?
When I wrote this song with Kirsti Manna and Bill DiLuigi, we were almost writing a music video at the same time. I had learned of the art of escaramuza charra and was inspired by it! We immediately started painting a scene of cowgirls in a western setting. From the day we wrote the song, we had hoped to be able to bring it to life in a music video.
Are all the women in this video real cowgirls? Were you on set for every scene? What was it like seeing these moments live?
Yes, there are a variety of cowgirls represented of many different styles and all ages! Our youngest cowgirl on set (Jane Isabelle Finley, 7) competes in barrel racing and loves to ride. I was on set from start to finish and up for nearly 23 hours straight! It was the most fun I’ve had on a music video shoot, and seeing it come to life was surreal. The feminine power on set was palpable.
The barrel racing scenes are spectacular. The escaramuza charra segment is iconic. There is so much beauty and majesty in this video. Was there anything that didn’t make the video that you wanted in?
We were able to get everything that we dreamed up! Coordinating it all was no easy feat, but working with my husband, Jason Engelman (Director/Producer) and Justin Frech (Co-Director + Camera Operator) is electric. We worked together on the music video for “Abilene,” and the synergy is almost otherworldly.
I believe you said you did this all in one day? How was that even possible? Were there any challenges?
It was pure insanity in some ways, but the fact that it all came together seamlessly felt like kismet. There was much planning ahead of time and a crew of people helping us achieve the vision! The last scenes we shot for the “rodeo” were a happy accident. Our arena location fell through at the last minute, and a friend found us a practice arena nearby. The challenge we faced was the practice arena didn’t have lights, and we were set to film at night. We had the idea to light up the arena with pickup trucks wrapped all the way around it. We couldn’t have dreamed up more epic shots. I remember us cheering, seeing how striking it came across on camera!
The morning scenes are such a vibe. How early did you have to be up to get those done?
The music video was filmed in Weatherford, TX, in the beautifully cool month of August… Just kidding, it was triple-digit weather! With that being said, we planned an early call time of 3 a.m. and captured the campfire scenes before the sun came up. We did our best to beat the heat where we could!
If I’m not mistaken, I think I saw a little extra something in you. Something radiating from inside. Was the video that important to you?
Thank you for noticing. This song and video mean more to me than I can begin to describe. “Cowgirls Ride” is an anthem for every woman who goes unseen and has to fight for equality and recognition. This is for the cowgirl in all of us, and that extra “oomph” stemmed from the energy on set!
What do you hope viewers get from this video?
I hope this music video inspires all who watch it and empowers future cowgirls to come! Ride on!
“Cowgirls Ride” is Tori Martin’s third No. 1 single. “Lost In The Country” and “Abilene” were the other two tracks that made it to the top of the Texas Regional Radio Report. She is a genuine artist. Her music is pure, and her voice has all the warmth of a Texas campfire. Country music has a brightly blazing beacon of red dirt virtuosity in Tori Martin. Here’s how you can follow and support her:
Tori Martin links:
Website • Facebook • Instagram • TikTok • YouTube
Featured photo: Jalee Wilcox.
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