Los Angeles, CA - Hailey Hermida releases her debut music video for “Sad Boy”, premiering May 2 on YouTube.
Following the single’s release on April 10, the video captures the emotional fallout of heartbreak, paranoia, and fractured identity through a raw, stylized lens.
Directed by Julian Valdivieso, produced by Orly Morris and Elli Rosenthal, shot by Director of Photography Ian Roper, and produced through Print Night Production, the video tracks Hailey’s psychological unraveling and her slow climb toward freedom.
Drawing influence from the cinematic storytelling of early 2000s MTV, Hailey’s visual approach combines emotional depth with flashes of surreal lightness.
“This wasn’t about looking perfect. It was about making something cinematic that captured the raw emotion,” Hailey says. “It had to feel like what I actually went through and then let go of. Real life’s messy, and sometimes finding a little fun or sarcasm is the only way you get through it.”
“Sad Boy” marks an important moment in Hailey’s artistic journey, delivering her signature confessional style through powerful visuals. As she continues to evolve, Hailey is building a reputation for emotional honesty and undeniable energy both onscreen and in her live performances, pulling you straight into her world.
Premiere Date: May 2, 2025
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEjp1K8nk5Q
About Hailey Hermida
Hailey Hermida makes music for the nights when your thoughts are louder than anything playing in your headphones. The 17-year-old Los Angeles artist combines alt-pop intensity with raw emotional honesty, pulling from her inspirations Paramore’s urgency, Green Day’s edge, and Billie Eilish’s confessional storytelling. Nothing about Hailey feels manufactured. It is the kind of debut you don’t scroll past. You feel it.
Director’s Note (Julian Valdivieso)
For “Sad Boy”, we set out to create a music video that feels immersive and emotionally raw, visually echoing the song’s themes of paranoia, identity, and toxic relationships.
We leaned into a stylized look that Hailey loved, pulling from the emotional weight of classic alt-rock and pop-punk videos, while blending in my own instincts.
Shot on an ARRI ALEXA MINI with fluid zooms, steadicam instability, and medium-length primes, every technical choice matched Hailey’s emotional state in real time.
From warehouse isolation to flickering hallway silhouettes and broken mirror reflections, every frame was crafted to track her psychological unraveling and her journey back to herself.
Credits:
Director & Editor: Julian Valdivieso
Production Company: Print Night Productions
Director of Photography & Colorist: Ian Roper
AD/Producer: Orly Morris
Producer: Elli Rosenthal
Cam Op: Marcos Larancuent
AC: Bobby Wu
Gaffer: Harry Robinson
AC/G&E Swing: August Larsen-Anderson
Still Photographer: Skyler Piltch
Links
- Website: haileyhermida.com
- Instagram: @haileyhermida https://www.instagram.com/haileyhermida/?hl=en
- TikTok: @haileyhermida https://www.tiktok.com/@haileyhermida
Media Contact
Company Name: Hailey Hermida
Contact Person: Denisse Clark
Email: Send Email
City: Los Angeles
State: CA
Country: United States
Website: http://haileyhermida.com