Watch Lower Dens’ Jana Hunter Become a Karaoke Video Star in ‘Sucker’s Shangri-La’

Lower Dens' Jana Hunter had the chance to become a karaoke star in the band's new music video for "Sucker's Shangri-La" -- check it out above.

Directed by Zachary Treitz, the visual is set in a Chinatown karaoke bar where a guy tries his luck at singing the song off the Lower Dens' latest album, Escape from Evil, out now via Ribbon Music. And if you look closely at the screen, you'll notice Hunter using her acting chops to convey the lyrics of the song which delves into "relationships, fear, guilt."

“The karaoke bars in my neighborhood have these filler videos as a background for the American pop songs," said Treitz, who won the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival Best New Narrative Director for Men Go To Battle. "Most of them seem like they're made in less than a day, start to finish, and they follow a basic formula, even though they're unique to each song: girl, cars, body of water, shots of architecture. We made our own one with Jana in Baltimore, which was a lot of fun because once you're in the mindset of those videos you start to see great shots everywhere that would otherwise seem terrible. But the music video itself takes place at a Chinatown karaoke bar, with the incredible Hiro Xu singing along to the video we made with Jana.”

As for Hunter, she will be doing a lecture called “How can you be an artist and not reflect the times?” at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston on Aug. 6.

“Music in America and the West in general has a strong tradition of powerful, honest, and simple critiques of injustice. Delivered in some of the best songs written to date, messages have been presented to the listening public in ways that both moved communities and progressed policy. As the world of populist music has grown increasingly commercial, political messages have been relegated to its fringes and all but disappeared. With the help of friends, we'll examine this long and storied history, its effects, the reasons why it's vanishing, and what to do about it,” Hunter said in a press release.

You can find details on how you can attend here.

In addition, Lower Dens kick off their tour in Cincinnati tonight (July 16).

Lower Dens 2015 Tour
July 16 - Cincinnati - MOTR Pub (with Young Ejecta)
July 17 - Cleveland Heights, Ohio - Grog Shop (with Young Ejecta)
July 18 - Louisville, Ky. - Forecastle Festival
July 19 - Chicago- Lincoln Hall (with How To Dress Well)
July 21 - Minneapolis- 7th St Entry (with Young Ejecta)
July 24 - Portland, Ore. - Mississippi Studios (with Young Ejecta)
July 25 - Vancouver - Electric Owl (with Young Ejecta)
July 26 - Seattle - Capitol Hill Block Party
July 28 - Salt Lake City - Urban Lounge (with Young Ejecta)
July 29 - Denver - Larimer Lounge (with Young Ejecta)
July 31 - Dallas- Granada Theatre
Aug. 1 - Austin - The Mohawk
Aug. 3 - New Orleans - One Eyed Jacks (with Young Ejecta)
Aug. 4 - Atlanta - The Earl (with Young Ejecta)
Aug. 5 - Raleigh, N.C. - Kings (with Young Ejecta)
Aug. 7 - Houston - Contemporary Museum of Arts Houston
Aug. 13 - New York City - Museum of Modern Art
Aug. 21 - Los Angeles - Echo (with Empress Of)
Aug. 22 to Aug. 23 - Los Angeles - FYF Festival
Sept. 26 Baltimore - Druid Hill Festival
Sept. 27 Kingston, N.Y. - BSP Kingston (with Abdu Ali)
Sept. 28 New York City - Bowery Ballroom (with Abdu Ali)
Sept. 30 Toronto - Legendary Horseshoe Tavern (with Abdu Ali)
Oct. 1 - Buffalo, N.Y. - Mohawk Place (with Abdu Ali)
Oct. 2 - Arden, Del. - Gild Hall (with Abdu Ali)
Oct. 3 - Pittsburgh - Spirit Hall (Via Festival)
Oct. 17 to Oct. 18 - San Francisco - Treasure Island Music Festival
Oct. 24 - Bristol, U.K. - Simple Things Festival
Oct. 25 - Manchester, U.K. - The Deaf Institute
Oct. 26 - Dublin - The Sugar Club
Oct. 27 - Glasgow - King Tuts
Oct. 28 - Leeds, U.K. - The Brudenell Social Club
Oct. 29 - London, U.K. – Scala
Oct. 31 - Amsterdam - Paradiso
Nov. 1 - Brussels - AB-Box
Nov. 2 - Hamburg - Hafenklang
Nov. 4 - Copenhagen – Loppen
Nov. 5 - Aarhus, Denmark – Radar
Nov. 6 - Lund, Sweden – Mejeriet
Nov. 7 - Oslo, NO – Parkteatret
Nov. 8 - Stockholm - Lilla Hotellbaren
Nov. 10 - Berlin - Bi Nuu
Nov. 11 - Prague – MeetFactory
Nov. 12 - Vienna – Arena
Nov. 13 - Munich - – Feierwerk
Nov. 14 - St. Gallen, Switzerland – Palace
Nov. 15 - Zurich – Exil
Nov. 17 - Lausanne, Switzerland - Le Romandie
Nov. 18 - Lyon, France – Sonic
Nov. 19 - Barcelona - La Apolo
Nov. 20 - Madrid - El Cielo
Nov. 21 - Lisboa, Portugal – ZDB
Nov. 22 - Braga, Portugal – GNRation
Nov. 24 - Paris – Badaboum