Allison Iraheta and Halo Circus Release “Desire” Music Video

Shot by director Nick Egan (Duran Duran, the Clash, INXS, Oasis), the video is inspired by Allison’s Salvadoran roots and her childhood in South Central L.A., according to Yahoo Music. The American Idol season 8 singer walks past the historic murals of Rowena Gardens and Boyle Heights and the street art of Downtown Los Angeles wearing a sash that says, simply, “Immigrant.” The song features a sample of Oscar Romero, a Catholic priest from El Salvador who was assassinated for his activism.

“Three years ago, we were shooting a video in our garage,” Allison told Yahoo Music. “Now, to be working with Nick Egan on our first official release is insane. Nick is a true artist and can punch you in the face with beauty that you didn’t even realize was there.”

“The great thing about working with Halo Circus is they like doing things differently from other bands,” said Egan It’s all about the idea for them, and not about how they look. I find too many bands are obsessed with the way they look above how their music sounds. Initially I had a few ideas that focused on the amazing influence Latinos have had on American pop culture, a celebration.

“But as I started to film, I realized that it was more interesting to wonder what was going on in Allison’s head as she walked through the housing projects of East L.A. I felt it should be more personal and for her to both project and internalize at the same time by singing in her head and occasionally pulling the viewer into her world when it suited her: moving with her in and out of shadows, raw and real but poetic and vulnerable. It only dawned on me after the first edit, so I literally started from scratch. I wanted to make it feel like one take. She is one of the few performers that can and did pull that off.“

Halo Circus is offering the “’Desire’ Premiere Bundle” free to fans via BitTorrent. Click here to download.

Watch the powerful video below.