Motta Music and Open Jar Studios are proud to announce the world premiere music video of “Fly High”, a new song about perseverance by Michael Mott (In The Light, Where The Sky Ends). Featuring vocals by Aisha Jackson, whose credits include the original Broadway cast of Once Upon A One More Time, Paradise Square and Frozen. The digital single of “Fly High” was released on Friday January 19th and is now available for purchase on iTunes and to stream on all digital streaming platforms.

“Fly High” features a live twenty piece orchestra of New York City’s finest musicians with orchestrations by Drama Desk Nominee, Kim Scharnberg (The Great Gatsby, Little Women, In The Light). The music video was shot entirely on location at Open Jar Studios and was directed by Josh Jordan (Jesus Christ Superstar National Tour). 

With a narrative following a young girl auditioning to chase her performing dream, the music video features Gabby Tenor as “Young Girl and Brianna Kaleen (Hairspray National Tour) as “Middle GIrl”, along with cameo appearances from Sarah Hamaty, Adam Wolfe, Lindsay Rider, David White and Brad Bosenbeck.

“Fly High is a song about perseverance,” said Michael Mott, Fly High’s songwriter and producer. “In an industry of constant rejection, I wanted to create a piece to motivate and inspire those struggling to find the confidence to move forward. Finding the courage to take “just one step” may be challenging, but if we trust and believe, there are beautiful adventures and endless possibilities awaiting us. I originally wrote this song for Broadway’s Emma Howard (Broadway’s Matilda) and am so proud of her beautiful version. It was important to try and reach a larger audience with this new recording. Kim Scharnberg expanded his original orchestration and I was thrilled to work with my live concert band plus sixteen of NYC’s musicians bringing this record to life. I had worked with Aisha Jackson on the In The Light, A Faustian Tale: Highlights Recording and was hungry to collaborate together again. This song felt like the perfect project and her passionate vocal performance blew me away. I am forever grateful to my phenomenal director Josh Jordan, who worked tirelessly with me to get the visual narrative correct. To all of the generous performers in the music video and musicians on the track, thank you for your artistry and courage. I hope this song moves and inspires listeners for generations to come.” 

“Filming with Josh Jordan was an absolute pleasure,” said vocalist Aisha Jackson. “He’s so talented, and it brought me great comfort to see someone who looks like me behind the lens. Partnering with Michael Mott to bring this song to life was equally amazing! I gave every take all I had and prayed that someone would be encouraged by this jewel of a song. We hope you love it!” 

When I first heard the song I was really touched.” said Jeff Whiting, CEO of Open Jar Studios. “Because, it truly captures the spirit of Open Jar - that we hold unlimited potential within us and a determination to bring ideas and dreams to life. When Open Jar studios was launched, it was dedicated to the creation of art and the cultivation of the artist and we are so thrilled to have brilliant artists like Michael creating here on a regular basis. We are so honored that Michael has permitted the song and the video, which was filmed at Open Jar, to be our official theme song of Open Jar Studios

“When Michael approached me about the project, he expressed his hopes for the positive impact of the video” said Josh Jordan, the video’s director. “He, Aisha, and I had many conversations about how we could weave together an engaging narrative while promoting a message of hope and acceptance in just short of four minutes. I think we spent more time going back and forth than actually filming the video, ha! We wanted to get it right. And I’m proud to say that we succeeded. The response that we have received from the video prior to the official release has been indicative of that, and I am very excited to see how the song and video impact our future audience.” 

“Fly High” is produced by Michael Mott and Kim Scharnberg. Mixed by Michael Croiter and mastered by Michael Fossenkemper at TurtleTone Mastering.  

The single can be purchased on iTunes and is available on all digital streaming platforms. Sheet music can be purchased at MichaelMott.net.

Bio:

MICHAEL MOTT is an internationally critically acclaimed award winning composer/ lyricist, songwriter and vocal producer with over 14 million streams to his name.  He has been heralded one of Playbill's "Contemporary Musical Theatre Songwriters You Should Know" and has won the Broadway World 2020 Cabaret Award for 'Best Original Song' for Jingle My Bells, which he wrote for The Boy Band Project.

Mr. Mott's original musicals include In The Light, A Faustian Tale (book by Nathan Wright and Justin Silvestri), The Fairy's Tale (book by Gretchen Suárez-Peña), Mob Wife, A Mafia Comedy (book by Corey Skaggs) and Riding Out The Storm, a ten minute musical (book & lyrics by Christine Toy Johnson), which has been adapted into a short film and is currently circulating around the international short-film circuit. He was commissioned to write the music and lyrics to Lucifer (co-lyricist, Mike Squillante, book by Corey Skaggs) as well as the score to the short dance film, Sundown.

Mr. Mott is currently an Advanced Member of the BMI Musical Theatre Writer's Workshop and proud member of The Dramatists Guild and Actor’s Equity Association. @Michael_Mott | MichaelMott.net