Sarah McLachlan Admits Her ASPCA TV Commercial Is 'Painful': 'I couldn't watch it. It was just like, Oh, God is awful'

Sarah McLachlan Admits Her ASPCA Commercial Is ‘Painful’

“It’s painful. I couldn’t watch it.”

vulture.com

Sarah McLachlan’s painfully poignant ASPCA spot—set to her ballad “Angel” and haunting shots of starving animals—has become the ultimate “mood killer” commercial since its 20-year-old debut. Asked by a friend on the nonprofit’s board to lend her voice, McLachlan says the experience sparked an existential crisis: “I couldn’t watch it…’Oh, God is awful.’ But it worked like a hot damn.”

The ad’s nonstop rotation on late-night TV also brought her an unexpected legion of octogenarian fans, a funny twist for someone she describes as “super-happy, super-optimistic.” Behind the scenes, the director kept telling her, “I just need a little more [sad face],” cementing her image as the eternal Sad Sarah—puppies, kittens and all.