Videos Created Using Extended Reality Premiere on CMT

Chart topping musician, vocalist and songwriter Lindsay Ell celebrated the one year anniversary of her critically-acclaimed concept album heart theory on Saturday, August 14. As the incredibly personal record explores the seven stages of grief, Lindsay shared a seven-part video series that explores each stage in the grieving process. The videos were aptly filmed in seven different environments that represent each of the stages and were directed and produced by Scott Scovill at Moo TV using extended reality technology. The series premiered on CMT, where Lindsay spoke in depth about the videos.

heart theory was written largely by Ell, inspired by a monumental break-up; a major health scare; turning 30; and confronting trauma from her childhood for the first time publicly. The “masterpiece of an album” (American Songwriter) and Ell’s “most empowering album to date” (Rolling Stone), has garnered more than 61 million on-demand streams to date and was nominated for “Country Album of the Year” at Canada’s prestigious Juno Awards. The 12-track project debuted inside the Top 10 of Billboard’s Top Country Albums and Top 5 on the UK Country Album chart and several of the songs have been performed on popular US TV shows including NBC’s TODAY, Tamron Hall Show and FOX & Friends.

“It’s amazing to be able to bring the songs off heart theory to life in a new and innovative way. The capabilities of XR are limitless which made it possible for me to communicate the emotions tied to the seven stages of grief,” said Lindsay Ell. “Releasing them all now is an awesome way to celebrate the anniversary of this album.”

While tackling some of the harder topics, like in the beautiful track “make you,” which delves into her experience as a sexual violence survivor—Ell hoped the project would be a roadmap of comfort and reassurance and a reminder to believe in yourself, especially during tumultuous times. In an effort to extend that sentiment, Ell created the Make You Movement, a charitable fund where she can direct money on an as-needed basis to organizations helping youth and victims of sexual trauma.

Since the pandemic began, Ell nabbed two ACM Awards nominations (“New Female Artist of the Year” and “Vocal Event of the Year” for her No. 1 hit “What Happens In a Small Town” with Brantley Gilbert), earned her first Gold record in Canada, won a Canadian Country Music Award and is currently out on the road with Blake Shelton on his Friends and Heroes Tour.

“Seven locations in one day! Using extended reality technology we placed Lindsay in seven incredible environments,” said Scott Scovill, owner Moo TV. “Diverse and dangerous places like a burning forest, inside a cave, standing on a ledge in a prison, all from the safety of the Moo TV XR stage, all captured in real time. Like Lindsay, this technology is amazing!”

heart theory track listing: 

shock

“Hits me” (Lindsay Ell, Tyler Hubbard, Corey Crowder)

denial

“how good” (Lindsay Ell, Brandy Clark)

“i don’t lovE you” (Adam Hambrick, Melissa Fuller, Neil Medley)

anger

“wAnt me back” (Lindsay Ell, Kane Brown, Matt McGinn, Lindsay Rimes)

“get oveRyou” (Lindsay Ell, Gordie Sampson, Kelly Archer)

“wrong girl” (Lindsay Ell, Steph Jones, Matt McGinn, Luke Niccoli)

bargaining

“body language of a breakup” (Lindsay Ell, Laura Veltz, Sam Ellis)

depression

“good on you” (Lindsay Ell, Sam Ellis, Micah Premnath)

testing

“The oTHEr side” (Lindsay Ell, Jessie Jo Dillon, Matt McGinn)

“gO to” (Lindsay Ell, Nicolle Gaylon, Jordan Reynolds)

acceptance

“make you” (Lindsay Ell, Brandy Clark)

“ReadY to love” (Lindsay Ell, Jessie Jo Dillon, Matt McGinn, Joey Hyde)