Migrant Motel Says What We All Feel With New Video and Single

Posted on May 9, 2023 in Feature Stories, Interviews, Main Menu // 0 Comments

Photo by : Whitney Otte

David Stewart Jr. Skips the party and sits down for a fun interview.

After relocating to Los Angeles from South Florida in 2020, David Stewart Jr found himself sitting around, not going out and learning to appreciate being by yourself.

At least that was the original intent of the song “Party“. It then morphed into something a little more introspective. “We started writing it and then it was more about what would happen if you went out with your friends and then ran into your ex having fun with someone else. How would that make you feel? How awkward would it be?”

“Party” is actually a fantastic song It’s got upbeat music with very somber mood if you can process that. You’re looking forward to going out and then your mind pulls that rug out from under you with self-doubt and questions. Which ends up with you staying home and doing all the things you normally do just to avoid that situation. I feel as it’s pretty relatable.

Truly it must be or there wouldn’t be three views for every follower they have on YouTube. That’s pretty good numbers that means people are liking it sharing it with other people sharing it on the web doing things that bands want and need to happen.

I asked David how he felt about that when I broke the numbers down for him. He thought it was about the video showing “The more human part of it. That feeling of staying in and avoiding confrontation and those feelings that come with it. I thought what if MY girlfriend broke up with me? The worst thing would be running into my ex flirting with someone else.”. I’m very happy with the video. It’s kind of a reflection of us that we put on film.

Video itself is pretty interesting and upon further discussion I found that David had actually done the mixing of the videos. It looks like a continuous shot panning the entire apartment however it was done in several different sessions and then edited with transitions and fades to create the appearance of a single shoot. I told him it looked really good and that it had if I hadn’t known that he was going through the different transitions it looked very much like they were just running behind the camera and jumping into the different scenes. He on the other hand is a little more critical of his work. “I look at the video and sometimes I see oh I could have done that fade better or I could have done this better or that better”

In 2020 David moved to LA to be closer to the music scene. Living in Korea Town, he’s enjoying meal prepping, walking his dog, and all things that come with being on your own in a big city. He can turn on music and do whatever he’s got a mind to. “I can play Nine Inch Nails at 8 AM.”

Chava moved to Mexico City so much of their collaboration remotely. It was pre pandemic, so for them this format is just everyday life. “We are in constant communication we send everything in pieces Chava creates and sends all the drums. Everything is produced in Oslo, Norway. It just feels normal. Chava and I have this thing where we listen to what is produced before it’s sharpened up and buffered. We like to compare a to b. ” Working remotely, “can be a benefit or a deterrent resulting in lack of professionalism, but not here. It’s a formal dynamic”

There’s nothing that David was allowed to say publicly but tours are in the works.

Migrant Motel is:
David Stewart, Jr. (Vocals/Guitar/Bass)
Salvador “Chava” Ilizaliturri (Drums)

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