“Church Pew” Riley Clemmons Music Video

Meet 23-year-old Riley Clemmons as she sings “Church Pew” in this music video that provides a glimpse into the process of making her third studio album due on shelves in September. “Church Pew” is the third single to be released from the long anticipated album by the same name. 

As the video opens, Riley is dressed in white and sits outside on a wooden church pew. After the song title and her name appear, we immediately enter the studio for a montage of moments, presumably from the production of Church Pew, the album.

Sprinkled amid images of background singers rehearsing, an orchestra of strings practicing, Riley composing and writing notes on staff paper, and sound guys at instruments and equipment, Riley stands before a round microphone and sings of the stories that an old church pew might tell. 

Here are four lines from the song’s chorus: 

Church pews, they’ve got stories
They’ve got so much that they’ve seen 
The best of saints, the worst of sinners 
And every bit of in between

The song speaks of life-changing moments that bring folks to those church pews—marriages, funeral services, and working toward recovery. All are welcome there—those celebrating, seeking solace, and searching for redemption. How true it is!

Many, following Sunday morning services, feel convicted that the pastor’s message was specifically written and delivered for them. Ministers may not always recognize just how their divinely inspired words connect with those sitting in the pews. Assuredly, though, the message or worship or fellowship changes us, leaving us better than before.     

Riley’s video is perhaps a metaphor for the experience of being in church. We see her express a variety of emotions in the video. She’s contemplative, weary, a bit frustrated, satisfied, and relieved during the work in the studio. In the end, the recordings are complete and there is joy.

Certainly, for those logging lots of hours in beautiful and blessed church pews, there is joy when their work is complete as well.  

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:42