When Tyler Childers released the music video for his song "In Your Love," the clip elicited tears from viewers everywhere as they watched a heart-rending love story play out in less than five minutes. It now boasts 8.6 million views on YouTube and is nominated for Best Music Video at the 2024 Grammy Awards.
The video tells an LGBTQ love story between two coal miners in 1950s Appalachia. Childers — a native Kentuckian — sparked the initial idea, as he wanted to make a video inspired by his cousin, who is gay. The story was further developed by author Silas House and his husband, author Jason Kyle Howard. Naturally, the video needed a director, so Childers turned to Bryan Schlam, who directed the singer's video for "Angel Band," to bring the story to life.
Schlam chatted with Wide Open Country about the process of creating the video and the importance of the message crafted within it.
"Tyler likes to tell stories that really relate to Appalachia, where he's from, and Silas is also from the same area, so I think in terms of Silas' inspiration, he wanted to create a love story that took place in a rural community," Schlam says of the video's inspiration. "There are a lot of LGBTQ stories where it follows couples who are leaving these rural areas to get away to the city and find refuge there. It was important that this represented the love that can take place in a rural community."
"In Your Love" music video director Bryan Schlam
The video follows characters Jasper and Matthew as they fall in love and experience discrimination, but ultimately forge a life beautiful life together. (Interesting fact: the older version of Jasper in the video is based on Childers' grandfather).
Watch the 'In Your Love' Music Video Below
Schlam worked with House to adapt the story to the screen — a daunting task with less than five minutes of run time available and no spoken scenes. Thankfully, they had two experienced actors — Colton Haynes ("Teen Wolf," "Arrow") and James Scully ("You," "Fire Island") — who perfectly embodied the characters without speaking a single word.
"We would talk about the emotions of what the character was feeling and how that would be represented," Schlam says of directing Haynes and Scully. "A lot of it was really visual, so it's all this nonverbal acting, which is very difficult. Because they're so professional and they're such great actors, they were able to take that direction and give performances that were really spot on."
The video is unique not only for its extensive storyline and sweeping cinematography (some of which was shot in a real limestone mine in Cumberland Furnace, Tenn.), but it is one of the first mainstream country music videos to portray a gay love story. This story is undoubtedly significant to Childers, House and Howard, who share a personal connection to it, and Schlam also felt the importance of creating something members of the LGBTQ community can see themselves in.
The reaction from those who relate to the video was immediate and powerful. Couples were using the song at their weddings or getting engaged as Childers sang it at concerts, and Schlam was overwhelmed by the positive feedback.
"When I first started seeing everyone's responses, I almost had a disassociation," Schlam recalls. "Seeing how thoughtful and passionate the responses were to the video and seeing tons of videos of people crying, posting videos of themselves in their car, watching the video on their lunch break, talking about their lived experiences and how important it was, it just feels like it has taken on a life of its own."
"I felt like I needed to take a step back [and say], 'This video's for you. Take it from here and celebrate it and do whatever you need with it,'" he adds. "That's how I felt about it. I'm really proud that it had that impact."
Although he witnessed the over-the-moon response to the video, Schlam wasn't banking on a Grammy nomination. When that accolade did arrive, the director experienced another moment of shock and pride.
"I have to be perfectly honest with you; I didn't even believe it until I saw it in writing," Schlam says of the award nod. "I heard from them, and I was like, 'Are you serious?' It's so unbelievable that I literally needed to see it written down. I'm really happy that it got that recognition because I think, in terms of music videos, it was a really positive and important message to put out there in the world."
In addition to "In Your Love" and "Angel Band," music fans might have seen Schlam's work for The Black Keys, as he has long served as their Director and Creative Director. Schlam hopes to continue evolving in his career by moving into longer form projects like feature films or television. For now, however, he's soaking up this achievement and sending appreciation to Childers for spearheading the fearless, creative vision that the "In Your Love" video portrays.
"Tyler Childers is unlike any country artist today. I think a lot of people know that," Schlam says. "He's an individual, he's not afraid to speak his mind, he's not afraid of anyone's reactions, he puts it all out there."
"I think that's a level of authenticity that people really appreciate," he concludes. "To be able to work on ideas with him and develop them makes me really proud to be a collaborator."
The Grammy Awards air Sunday, Feb. 4, live from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
