Photo Gallery: Heart on the Floor
“‘Cause a dream is just a dream, and I don't wanna sleep tonight”
Jessie Ware has been credited as one of the artists from this decade who has ushered in the "disco revival" between her 2020 and 2023 album. "Spotlight" opens the former album with a tale of yearning that slowly unfolds as more layers of production are added and Ware's vocals grow more emotionally charged. The song's lyrics match the themes of searching for liberation and ecstasy ("I just wanna stay in moonlight / this our time in the spotlight") that often appear in disco.
I wanted to capture those moments of vulnerability felt in the music even when you're out on the dance floor. It's a revival of the sound and look of disco but also the feeling: to a time before surveillance through technology that made people think twice about putting their whole heart out on the floor.
Emma Lavenson and Aaron Hour for Heart on the Floor. Photos by Liam Alexe. Song used: “Spotlight” by Jessie Ware.