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Jena Rose Channels ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ With New ‘Checkmate’ Music Video

It’s here! Jena Rose is entering the race for song of the summer with her latest single, “Checkmate” — and the music video is giving off major Queen’s Gambit vibes.

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“Relationships and chess have a lot more in common than I ever considered, until I had one that woke me up,” Rose said in a statement. “‘Checkmate’ is an homage to all the girls who’ve had to act strategically to protect their hearts.”

Jena Rose Channels The Queens Gambit With New Checkmate Music Video
Jena Rose. Jena Rose

Fans of the Netflix series starring Anya Taylor‑Joy should enjoy the music video, which documents the ins and outs of chess. The clip, directed by Veronica Zelle and produced by Frank Simonetti, showcases Rose’s long-time fascination with the game as she plays against her onscreen love interest.

As the song progresses, the musician is dressed to the nines in a yellow gown, singing along to her new track whilst standing on a giant chess board. Aside from her stunning vocals, the “Checkmate” music video also features Rose’s stunning fashion sense. In one scene, she wears black shorts and a silver corset, and in another, she dons a black sheer bodysuit.

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By the end of the video, Rose sits tall on a massive throne with a bedazzled crown on her head, signifying that she finally said goodbye to her ex-lover.

“The song, in general, took a lot of influence from The Queen’s Gambit,” she told American Songwriter last month. “I watched that show, along with so many other people, during COVID. I was so inspired by the girl power. Chess is one of the only sports in which men and women are on the same playing field. I thought about how I could apply that to music. The game of chess is so strategic and that game play relates so much to our relationships.”

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“Checkmate” — written by Nick Furlong and produced by Chapters — is just one track from Rose’s upcoming debut EP, Baby, Maybe, which is set to be released later this year. In 2020, the musician debuted her previous single “Forever Yours” featuring Casper Magico. The song was featured in the Netflix movie Work It, which starred Sabrina Carpenter, Jordan Fisher and Liza Koshy.

As for what fans can expect in Rose’s future? A lot of new music! As the world continues to open up following the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, she also has plans to take the stage and hit the road on tour.

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