Jordan Waves on Music as a Creative Brief

When Jordan Waves launched his first grant on 24 Hours Unplugged™, he wasn't just looking for a music video. He was looking for a collaborator — someone who could hear his music and translate it into something he couldn't create alone. 'I've always believed that a song is the first draft of a visual story,' he says from his home studio in Atlanta. 'When I write lyrics, I see pictures. The problem is, I'm not a filmmaker. That's why this platform makes so much sense to me.' His debut grant, Hope You Still Love Me Tomorrow, attracted 14 applications in its first two weeks — a mix of videographers, photographers, and one animator who pitched a stunning concept around stop-motion and archival photography. 'I was blown away by what creators submitted. The music inspired things I would never have imagined. That's exactly the point.' Jordan now has three active grants on the platform and is building what he calls a 'visual universe' around his upcoming EP.