Be Rescued and Taken Away by Forts Like Vana’s Latest Single, ‘Damsel in Distress’
Imagine a wild night out that you can never forget; one that turns into inspiration for a song that is righteous in its glory. That’s what every band can hope for, right? Turning your pleasure into productivity, and creating art from experiences. That’s exactly what Nashville pop rock band Forts Like Vana did on their newest single, “Damsel in Distress,” the first track from their debut album, coming later this year.
When speaking with the band, it was clear that they had been itching to give their fans something before the end of the year. Everyone had gone through so much in 2020, and the pandemic delayed a lot of their music. Being able to release a single and video for this track was an absolute honor.
“We wanted to put something out for our fans that have been supporting us all this time,” the band commented.
Forts Like Vana has been making music together since 2018. They met downtown on a Nashville crosswalk and have been playing together ever since. This groovy, velvet group consists of four members: Brandon “Vazzy” Vasquez on bass, Derek James on guitar, Diego “Shake” Estrada on drums, and Logan Linds on vocals. These four guys radiate some intense energy together, which reflects in the vibe of their tunes. They’ve recorded one EP called This + This = That, which was made in their friend’s bedroom when the group first formed. They went on to sign with Hutch Down Records at the beginning of 2020, with whom they’ve recorded their first album.
Finding inspiration for a new track isn’t always easy, but for “Damsel in Distress,” the story put itself together. It started with Logan and Diego sharing stripper stories with their producer Britton Cameron. It turned into a full-on visual story that invited everyone in and motivated them to write the track. From there, they went on to film the video with their record label and Fair Play Video in December 2020.
“We wanted the video to really capture that story of a damsel in distress needing to be saved, from her back story of leaving her house and family, to completely transforming into a sexy dancer and owning the club,” the band said.
It does just that, taking us in with the juiciest of lyrics:
“Full of pride or full of shame when ya pull me back to the VIP now.
-A lyrical excerpt from “Damsel in Distress”
Is your daddy still the one to blame / oh tell me, does he look a lot like me?
Regrets, you strip them off when the sun sets.
Cigarettes in the hot sweat.
When you drop it way down I must confess.
Are you sweating, or is that just me?”
This video follows a beautiful brunette dancer’s journey to becoming the center of attention at a club, as she grooves and moves along with the music besides other dancers. The video tells a story of a damsel in distress who is saved by herself and her feminine empowerment. With the band playing in the background, we’re invited into a mesmerizing party scene — the kind of night that is so good you won’t remember.
A record like this is just the beginning for Forts Like Vana. They are going to bless us with their first full-length album, From The Ceiling Up,’ this year.
“We’re going to have another single coming out, hopefully by late February, that will be the ballad off of our album,” the guys said. “Welcome to a wild party! Keep blasting ‘Damsel in Distress,’ and get ready for From the Ceiling Up in 2021!”
Oh, we will be waiting. Calendars, marked. Bookmarks, checked.
Be sure to keep up with Forts Like Vana on all of their social media accounts below, and watch the music video here: