Charlie Sarsfield Directs Jesy Nelson's Powerful Promo Set in '60s East End London

Jesy Nelson has just released the promo for her latest track, 'Bad Thing'. Set in '60s East End London, the video was directed by Untold Studios' Charlie Sarsfield.

The cinematic visual is underpinned by an important message. Made in collaboration with Women’s Aid UK, it explores themes around domestic violence and offers support to anyone who may find themselves in an abusive relationship.

Produced by Untold Studios, the video is set in the dark underbelly of London’s East End in the 60’s and captures a raw and turbulent love story between Jesy & Sid - Jesy is the perfect '60s housewife whilst Sid battles with addiction and infidelity. Viewed through a retro-tinted lens, it's an all-too common depiction of a woman lost in love and dedication for a spouse she hopes will change, and the haunting solitude of a person tormented in a dysfunctional relationship. The unsettling closing scene shows the true reality of domestic abuse and features a powerfully emotional performance from Jesy.

Untold Studios director and creative director Charlie Sarsfield explains, ‘The storyline is centred around a topic that was close to Jesy’s heart and reflects some of my own experiences growing up too. We both felt this story suited the aesthetics of the '60s. We leaned into films like ‘Legend’ for inspiration and really drew from that era in terms of styling and art. I was focused on creating cinematic scenes that you wouldn't normally find in a music video to really immerse viewers and transport them to London’s East End in the late '60s. It was a pleasure to work closely with Jesy on this.”

Collaborating with Women’s Aid on the narrative of the visual, a spokesperson adds: “We thank Jesy for using the music video for ‘Bad Thing’ to signpost support for women who may be affected by domestic abuse. Jesy’s video shows her character not explicitly leaving at the end, and we know from our work with survivors of domestic abuse that this is a reality for many with as many as 1.7 million women experiencing domestic abuse in the UK and Wales last year alone. Jesy’s video highlights that it is not easy to leave an abusive relationship and for women using our network of services across the country, the average length of time in abusive relationships before leaving is just over six years.

There will no doubt be many people watching the video who will be living this for real and knowing that there are people who understand and will believe you, and that there is help out there, can be the difference between life and death. You don’t have to be married or living with someone for it to count as domestic abuse – if you are living in fear of your partner, if they are controlling you and you feel trapped, you can get support from Women’s Aid to safely leave when the time is right for you.”