From today, reaching the top of the charts won’t be the only aspiration of those in the music industry – singer-songwriter Azure Ryder has raised the bar for music talent globally, becoming the first artist in the world to release a music clip filmed atop globally renowned icon, the Sydney Harbour Bridge. 

The clip, which supports the musical release of Ryder’s rendition of Nina Simone’s 1965 hit, Feeling Good, from the NSW Government’s latest state tourism marketing campaign, was filmed over three days in Sydney and the Blue Mountains. Filming also included scenes from the highest point of the Sydney Harbour Bridge’s Southern Pylon, utilised for the first time ever in a music video. 

Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade, Minister for Tourism and Sport and Minister for Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said the clip was a spectacular showcase of the diverse landscapes of Sydney and NSW. 

“I am delighted with the music video for the soundtrack behind our Feel New campaign. It captures all the things I love about our state. From the vibrant energy of Sydney to the welcoming relaxation of our regions, NSW offers remarkable destinations and experiences that re-energise visitors like nowhere else,” Mr Ayres said. 

“We are incredibly blessed in NSW to have some of the most spectacular filming backdrops in the world and to have one of our brightest talents in Azure Ryder pay tribute to her home city and state this way highlights what incredible places Sydney and NSW are to live and visit.” 

Shot in a dramatic and emotive style, the clip takes viewers along Azure’s personal journey of discovery; from the Blue Mountains to the city of Sydney. Beginning deep within the Blue Mountains, Ryder is energised by the awe-inspiring natural beauty of the Megalong Valley and Lincoln’s Rock as well as the night time energy of Mary’s Underground in The Rocks. Then, against the striking backdrops of Sydney Harbour and the Sydney CBD skyline, Azure brings her incredible adventure to a climax alongside the magnificent, curved steel arches of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. 

Ryder said that the experience of filming Feeling Good is something special to her and which she feels embodies both the energy of her home state and the lyrics of the classic track. 

"The experience you will see through my music video is one that I grew up my entire life believing in. The importance of what our surroundings can teach us, show us how to feel, and ultimately teach us how to be human. The soul that Nina embodies and speaks of in Feeling Good is the soul that is all around us if we just step out, open our eyes, and look up to the beauty and the story written along mountain tops and city pavements.  

“I am grateful to have been a part of telling this narrative alongside the most incredibly talented humans that lifted me to literal heights of my dreams. We know how to exist but along the way I think we have forgotten how to live, so to share this journey with you around the special places I grew up in in NSW was important to me.  

“We are so lucky to have such magic on our doorstep," Ryder said. 

To complement the NSW-only landscapes, Ryder worked with some of the state’s top fashion stylists, Paula Joye and Cheryl Tan, who created a contemporary, ethereal look for Ryder, which also drew inspiration from one of Ryder’s musical inspirations, Stevie Nicks. 

The video features designs by Kit Willow of KITX, Nicola Finetti, Ms Couture and Alice McCall, as well as jewellery by Sarah and Sebastian, By Charlotte and Au Revoir Les Filles. 

"I loved the opportunity to collaborate with such an amazing creative team of stylists and designers and feel really honoured to have had the opportunity to work with Sydney’s most innovative fashion names. To me, this was an integral part of helping us to achieve the state of Feeling Good throughout the filming of the clip,” Ryder said. 

The music video was filmed in collaboration with Milkmoney. 

Watch the Feeling Good video HERE and follow Azure Ryder on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. 

For information on Sydney and NSW check out sydney.com and visitnsw.com. 
#feelnew #feelnsw #feelsydney 

MEDIA CONTACTS:  
Samantha Antoun – 0447 429 269 samantha.antoun@dnsw.com.au  
Emma Reyes – 0424 425 813 emma.reyes@dnsw.com.au

About Destination NSW  
Destination NSW is the lead NSW Government agency for the State’s tourism and major events industry and is responsible for devising and implementing strategies to grow the State’s visitor economy. Our particular focus is driving tourism and acquiring and developing major sporting and cultural events for Sydney and regional NSW. In addition, Destination NSW is the major investor in Business Events Sydney (BESydney) with the aim of securing more international conventions, incentive travel reward programs, corporate events and exhibitions. 

About Azure Ryder 
Singer-songwriter Azure Ryder burst onto the music scene in early 2020 with the release of her debut EP ‘Running with the Wolves’. The release came off the back of a cosmic connection to being represented by Tap music management, after a chance meeting at a music festival. Her second EP, ‘Crazy With The Light’, followed later that year. For her debut releases, Azure received plaudits on these shores from the likes of the BBC, Sunday Times, Notion, BBC Radio 1, and triple j. Her debut single, ‘Dizzy’, peaked as the most played track on Australia’s triple j. Ryder later received this same honour on ‘Some Kind Of Love’, the lead single from her recently released third EP ‘Ladder to the Moon’. December 2020 saw her make her debut live shows, selling out four shows in Sydney. With only three EP’s under her belt, Azure has already amassed over 32 million global streams.