Chrisette Michele - Epiphany (I'm Leaving)

What this video is

Released in January 2009 as the lead single from Chrisette Michele's sophomore album Epiphany (Def Jam), the track arrived during a pivotal inflection point in contemporary R&B — Ne-Yo's executive production signaled a deliberate commercial repositioning of Michele away from her jazz-inflected debut toward a more hip-hop-adjacent sound. The song became Michele's first solo entry on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at…

Why it matters

Epiphany (I'm Leaving) represents a crossroads moment in 2000s R&B: the jazz-soul vocalist constrained and elevated by professional songwriting infrastructure (Ne-Yo/Chuck Harmony). Critically noted for blending trippy neo-soul basslines with girl group vocal harmonics, the track bridged…

The director

Ray Kay (born Reinert K. Olsen, July 10, 1978) is a Norwegian music video director and photographer based in Los Angeles. He has directed videos for artists including Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Beyoncé, Destiny's Child, Diddy, Willow Smith,…