Found in the Inbox: Ari B Dances Through It “By the Pool”

Boston’s Ari B released the video for “By the Pool” on August 16, 2016, following the March debut single and video “Break the Ice,” with another single, “Up Up & Away,” arriving on iTunes a week later. The Rive Video Promotion campaign introduced a 17-year-old pop and R&B singer who writes the songs and leads with dance.

A Malibu pool party with a dark edge

Ari B wrote “By the Pool,” produced by Ric Poulin at Bristol Studios in Boston. The video was directed by Ray Kay, whose credits include Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé and Britney Spears, choreographed by Kenya Clay and shot in Malibu. It is about surrounding yourself with the right people, and Ari describes the set as having “darker undertones, yet the party and energy in the dance come through.”

Storytelling through movement

The campaign highlights the dancing above all. “I keep with the journey and support it with powerful dance movement,” Ari says, citing Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, Pink and Janet Jackson as influences. The song itself is about life experience and “a girl who is struggling to carry on after an unhealthy relationship.” “When you write, sing, and move, you just gotta come from a natural place and feel whatever it is you’re creating.”

Why it was in the inbox

“Ultimately, I do what I do to relate to people and some of their struggles,” Ari B says. “It is always reassuring to know you’re not alone.”

Quotes and release details from Rive Video Promotion’s campaign for “By the Pool.” We could not find the official video online, so it is not embedded here.