Hope You’re Happy

Breaking free from a toxic past 

Directed by Vittoria Rizzardi Peñalosa

Words by Katie Huelin

In Hope You’re Happy, director Vittoria Rizzardi Peñalosa transforms the vulnerability and honesty of Claudillea’s song into an emotional visual journey. through the weight of unhealthy love and the painful but necessary act of letting go. Vittoria captures that unbearable feeling of loving someone who only hurts us, trapped in a cycle that feels impossible to escape. But as this video shows through burning emotional homes and goddess-like rebirths, breaking free, though often the hardest step, is the only way to find happiness again.

“We each have completely different experiences in relationships and I wanted to make sure each viewer could have made the story theirs” says Vittoria. Through its striking symbolism and emotion, Hope You're Happy becomes not just a music video, but a reminder of the strength it takes to choose yourself.

The music video for Hope You're Happy delves into the struggle of breaking free from a toxic past with honesty. How did you interpret the song’s emotional depth and vulnerability into the visual narrative, and what inspired the symbolism of the “home” being burned down to move forward?

Absolutely. "Hope You’re Happy" delves into the haunting grip of old patterns, especially those tied to a first love. Often, these patterns linger long after the person is forgotten, leaving behind feelings and behaviours that can be toxic. They have a way of sabotaging current relationships, trapping you in the shadows of the past.

We wanted to represent that first love as a home—because relationships often feel like a home, a place where you feel safe but also where vulnerabilities can live. The song explores the idea that sometimes, the only way to move forward is to burn that metaphorical home to the ground. It’s about releasing yourself from the weight of the past so you can step into a healthier, brighter future. 

For Claudillea, the song captures her moment of reckoning—a point of no return where her only choice is to let go of her history, especially with this person, entirely and run toward her future. The ending is particularly powerful, culminating in the imagery of a goddess-like creature, which is still Claudillea but also something otherworldly, almost from another dimension. The symbolism here is subtle and left open to interpretation, but it hints at the materialisation of that wise, guiding voice we all have during tough times. It might be your inner child, your intuition, or your higher self—whatever you see it as, it’s that force that pulls you forward when you’re at your lowest. This journey is deeply personal yet universally resonant, and that’s what makes the song so special. 

I really wanted the visuals to transport the viewer into a sensorial journey about moving on from a love that shaped you and finding a new shape for yourself. Because of that, I tried my best to tell a story through metaphors and symbolism, aiming to make it relatable to everyone but also open to interpretation. After all, we each have completely different experiences in relationships and I wanted to make sure each viewer could have made the story theirs. I’m also starting to truly realise how the elements of fire and water are so present throughout my work. To me, fire and water symbolise opposites: danger and safety, rage and calmness, love and hate, or even endings and beginnings. They’re two elements that cannot coexist, and transitioning from one to the other requires a journey—often polarising and transformative. 

How did your collaboration with Claudillea come about, and what was her involvement in shaping the music video?

I absolutely loved working with an artist like Claudillea. Not only because her voice and artistry are dreamy and inspiring, but also because she really champions your voice and your vision. She’s a true collaborator. She sent me four unreleased songs she was finishing up and asked me to pick my favorite, which I did. From there, she gave me complete freedom to come up with my own interpretation for the music video. When I shared my concept with her, she was excited and fully supportive.

Of course, I ran every development by her—whether it was related to the concept, costumes, art direction, or other creative elements—but she really allowed me to do my thing, and I was so grateful for that. When another fellow artist trusts you like that, it’s a true gift. That’s when real magic happens.

Shooting on 16mm film adds an intimate feel and textured aesthetic. What led to this decision, and how do you think working with this medium shapes the emotional tone of the video?

We chose 16mm film because it brought a rich, tactile quality to the visuals that felt deeply aligned with the story we were telling. Claudillea’s narration dives into the weight of old fears and habits that haunt her, and the imperfections and raw texture of film helped mirror that emotionally. There’s something about the way film captures light and motion—it feels alive, almost like it’s breathing—and that added to the intimate and haunting tone we were aiming for.

The medium also influenced how we approached the visual narrative. Early in the video, we focused on heavy, deliberate compositions with static imagery to emphasise the sense of being trapped in a world of her own making. As the story progressed, the medium’s organic imperfections—its grain, its capacity to capture overexposure—helped enhance the chaotic, disorienting sequences where Claudillea confronts her ghosts.

Ultimately, 16mm wasn’t just a stylistic choice; it shaped the entire emotional texture of the video. It brought a sense of authenticity and depth that allowed the visuals to feel as raw and vulnerable as the story itself.

Movement feels key to capturing a strong sense of entanglement and struggle to escape the past. How did you approach the choreography, which at times feels almost dance like, to convey these themes and reflect Claudillea’s emotional journey?

For the choreography and overall movement direction of the music video, I collaborated with an incredible choreographer and movement artist, Seirian Griffiths. Seirian and I spent hours discussing the emotions I wanted the movement to evoke in the viewer. We sat in a park and had an open, creative dialogue about the themes of the video and the visceral feelings we wanted to capture. It was a true collaboration in the sense that I didn’t impose a specific style of movement or dance. I trusted Seirian’s artistry, giving him the freedom to interpret my ideas and bring his own unique perspective to the project.

What drew me to him initially was a movement study he had shared online, where he played with gravity in his performance. That study resonated deeply with the themes of the video. I wanted the movement to portray the human body not as a functional or graceful form, but as an object that bounces, falls, and rolls—a body that is constantly in flux. Seirian also played the male character in the video, and his movements reflected this concept beautifully. At the very beginning, his character almost feels like a lifeless marionette, jerking into motion and slowly "coming alive." But even as he becomes animated, his movement is still alien, almost object-like. This was intentional—he represents a memory living in Claudillea’s mind, an abstract manifestation of someone who no longer exists in her life but continues to haunt her.

As the story unfolds and Claudillea learns to let go, his character begins to dissolve, disappearing entirely when she finally releases herself from the grip of the past. The choreography was key to expressing this emotional arc, blending fluidity, tension, and release to embody the struggle of confronting and ultimately escaping old entanglements.

“It’s about releasing yourself from the weight of the past so you can step into a healthier, brighter future.”

The shift from natural daylight to the ethereal night scenes with the goddess-like figure creates a clear distinction in the video, symbolising a moment of relief, and perhaps an escape from reality. How did you use lighting and colour to emphasise this transformation and convey the emotional arc?

That was definitely one of the biggest challenges of the music video, mainly because it was important to me that the transition from daylight to nighttime felt gradual and seamless. Shooting entirely on location and relying heavily on natural light, we were at the mercy of the weather. Unfortunately, we weren’t very lucky—it happened to be the first cold and rainy day of autumn, and we shot everything outdoors.

For the beginning of the video, I wanted the atmosphere to feel bright and open, so we used practical lights to enhance the natural light we had from the sun. As the story progresses and Claudillea begins encountering what she perceives as a ghost, we started to introduce darkness. To convey the ghost as a being of light, we experimented with overexposure, which allowed the figure to emit a glow from within. This visual approach helped create a sense of mystery and otherworldliness while building to the reveal at the end, when the true identity of the ghost—a reflection of Claudillea herself—is unveiled.

By the time we reach the final scene, where Claudillea encounters the water source, it’s fully nighttime. For me, night symbolises comfort and intimacy. It’s a time when the world is asleep, and you’re left alone with your thoughts—a quiet, infinite space. That’s why I chose to set the positive resolution of the story at night, a moment of calm and self-reckoning. Balancing the overexposure when the ghost appears with the clarity needed to reveal its identity was a challenge. We wanted to maintain the sense that the figure radiated light from within, while still showing the details in the final reveal. The decision to use full gold body paint by Jo Merola for Claudillea was crucial—it helped reflect and amplify the light, enhancing the ethereal effect we were after. Finally, a lot of the magic came together in post-production, during the color grading process with our incredible DOP, Ricardo Sokolowska Pedrosa. His finesse brought cohesion to the transition from bright daylight to the glowing, intimate night scenes, allowing the emotional journey to flow visually and seamlessly.

Following on from this, the otherworldly figure at the end feels symbolic - as if she represents a guiding inner voice. Could you elaborate on this imagery and what you hoped to convey through her presence?

As I mentioned earlier, the symbolism behind the guiding figure Claudillea encounters toward the end was intentionally left open to interpretation. My hope was for viewers to see in her whatever resonates most personally—be it their inner child, intuition, higher self, or any force that feels like a source of guidance during challenging times. To me, this figure represents that wise, inner voice we all have, the one that helps pull us forward when we’re at our lowest.

I wanted to explore the interplay between fear and trust in this figure’s presence. At first, Claudillea is afraid of her, perceiving her as a threat or something harmful. But as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that the figure is not an enemy—it’s salvation. This evolution mirrors the way we often resist confronting our own inner truths, fearing what we might find, only to realize that facing them is the key to growth and freedom. It was also very important to me that the figure was played by Claudillea herself. I believe that, ultimately, we are the only ones who can save ourselves, and true change always comes from within. By making the guiding figure a reflection of her, I hoped to reinforce the idea that strength and transformation are already inside us—we just need to trust and embrace them.

Your impressive work spans music videos, campaigns, and films! After this project, what’s next for you?

Thank you, I really appreciate that! Looking at 2025, it could be a very exciting year, as I have a couple of big projects within the cinema sphere that are beginning to take solid shape. While I plan to keep experimenting with music videos whenever the opportunity arises—and, more rarely, with commercials—I’m also diving deeper into video art. 

Recently, my latest video art piece, HAIRFUCK, was exhibited recently in London. The piece documents a ritual-like performance where six women are connected by a single braid of hair, exploring the layered relationships they share with themselves and with each other. It premiered at an exhibition supported by Cold Magazine and will also be featured in February at an exhibition in Rome, curated by Loosen Art.

In addition to the video, I created a performance art piece as part of the project, which was well-received during the event with Cold Magazine. I’m excited about the possibility of bringing this performance to new galleries and venues in the future, expanding its reach and continuing to explore the intersection of performance and visual art.

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Directed by Vittoria Rizzardi Peñalosa

Talent
CLAUDILLEA
Seirian Griffiths

Producer Jake Schneider
Production Coordinator Natalie Powell
1st AD Billy Daisley

Director of Photography Ricardo Sokolowska Pedrosa
Steadicam Matt Boreham
1st AC Tamas Simon
2nd AC Ollie Lansdell
Gaffer Max Higgins

Choreographer & Movement Director Seirian Griffiths
Production Designer Giulia Moliarov
Set Dresser Mette Rutter
Stylist Roberta Lloyd
MUA Jo Merola

Lab Technicians The Film Lab, Michell Martin
Scan Digital Orchard, Dan Redrup

Edit & Sound design Immy Parton
Colourist Ricardo Sokolowska Pedrosa

Production company Timestorm Productions