In a short ten years, Grant Singer has redefined the interplay of musical and visual worlds. 

Directing music videos for a roster of musicians that is as impressive as it is expansive, he’s crafted some of contemporary music’s most indelible visual moments. For “Green Light,” Singer sent Lorde soaring through the city atop an S.U.V. He circled the drain of an intoxicating relationship with ZAYN and Taylor Swift for “I Don’t Want to Live Forever.” He captured Pusha T’s transformation into basketball star Dennis Rodman in Yogi and Skrillex’s surreal barbershop-set “Burial.” For his contributions to the genre, Singer was named Music Film Director of the Year at the 2019 Kodak Film Awards. “I never intended to be a music video director,” he says. “I went to film school to make feature films. I had a lot of friends who were musicians, and I just started making things with them.” 

With his narrative feature debut, Reptile, Singer deftly steers a stacked cast through an atmospheric neo-noir. The film follows a brutal murder and the subsequent unraveling of years-long secrets through the lens of a weary cop, played by Benicio del Toro. Joining the Oscar-winning actor are Alicia Silverstone, Justin Timberlake, and Ato Essandoh.

“When I think of my favorite movies, I can almost hear them,” says Singer. “When it was time to make [Reptile], I was interested in creating a very unique sonic palette and doing something hopefully original and visceral.” Thankfully, the director had an exceptional musical team to help craft an aural world that is both thought-provoking and immersive: “[Composer] Yair [Elazar Glotman] brought some amazing, tactile work to the movie. Graeme Stewart is an absolutely brilliant music editor who has had a huge impact on the sound. Arca — her music transcends this world, and I’m just so grateful that she was able to compose original music for the movie.” 

Looking back on his debut, the overwhelming emotion Singer expresses is gratitude. “It’s a big dream come true and not something I take for granted,” the director says. “I wanted to make the most of this opportunity and make something that reflected what interests me as a filmmaker — both in style and in story — and my love for film.” 

Here, the director shares seven songs that soundtracked the process of creating Reptile.

RUNNER

by Alex G

Anyone who has spent any time with me knows I’m obsessed with Alex G. I’m always listening to his music, whether it be driving to set or in between locations. When I think of the music that scored my experience making this film, this is it. 

KITE

by Nick Heyward

Making a movie is nothing short of a miracle. It actually takes a series of miracles. This song feels that way.

MACHOTE

by Arca

Alejandra [Ghersi Rodríguez] is one of the greatest living artists. Her music transcends this world. I was fortunate enough to have her compose original music for the film. It’s breathtaking and I’m so grateful that after over a decade of friendship, we were able to collaborate on this. 

JANE 12

by Harold Budd

I listen to Harold Budd every morning when I wake up. His music speaks to me in a very personal way. This piece evokes the atmosphere I was after, particularly in the first half of the film. 

LET IT LOOSE

by The Rolling Stones

I’ve spent a lot of time with Benicio listening to music. We’re both huge fans of The Stones. I have a vivid memory of driving to my office in Atlanta one weekend, blasting this song, and seeing him standing there as I pulled into the parking lot.

THE FOREST

by Bernard Herrmann

To me, Bernard Herrmann is the greatest film composer of all time. His score for Vertigo is unparalleled. This piece epitomizes that seductive yet unsettling feeling, and its use of silence between phrases was a big influence on how I used music in Reptile.

BELONG TO HEAVEN

by Cass McCombs

Cass is a good friend, and this song is about someone we’re very close to, and it makes me emotional every time I hear it. I like knowing that it will live forever in the film.

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