In 2017, Jared Leto and his band Thirty Seconds to Mars released the single "Walk on Water," marking a pivotal sonic shift, a massive promotional rollout, and the beginning of a unique cinematic documentary project that captured a single day in American history.
Introduction to the 2017 Era of Thirty Seconds to Mars
The year 2017 marked a major turning point for Thirty Seconds to Mars, the alternative rock band fronted by Academy Award-winning actor and musician Jared Leto. Following the commercial and critical success of their fourth studio album, Love, Lust, Faith + Dreams (2013), the band entered a prolonged period of experimentation. Fans and music critics alike anticipated what direction the band would take next, especially as the music industry increasingly favored electronic production, streaming-first releases, and pop-infused rock crossovers.
When the band finally broke their silence in the summer of 2017, they did so with an ambitious anthem titled "Walk on Water." This release was not merely a traditional single drop; it served as the lead track for their fifth studio album, America (2018), and signaled a distinct departure from their earlier post-grunge and arena-rock aesthetics into a more minimalist, electronic, and stadium-pop-oriented soundscape. To understand the cultural and artistic footprint of this era, one must examine the specific mechanics of the release, the massive crowdsourcing experiment behind its accompanying visual media, and the unique artistic choices that defined Jared Leto's creative vision in 2017.
Fact 1: "Walk on Water" Served as the Lead Single for the Album America
When "Walk on Water" was released globally on August 22, 2017, via Interscope Records, it immediately established the conceptual and sonic framework for the band's fifth studio album, America. For Jared Leto, who acts as the primary songwriter, producer, and creative director for Thirty Seconds to Mars, the song was designed to capture a complex moment in contemporary United States culture, touching on themes of freedom, struggle, change, and societal division.
Musically, the track relies heavily on synthesized percussion, a driving electronic stomp-clap rhythm, a marching choir, and soaring vocal hooks rather than the heavy distorted guitars that characterized early 2000s releases like A Beautiful Lie. This sonic evolution was intentional. Jared Leto wanted a track that could echo effortlessly across massive festival grounds while fitting comfortably into modern radio formats.
The Composition and Production Style
- Vocal Delivery: Jared Leto utilized a combination of raw, impassioned lead vocals and heavily processed background harmonies.
- Instrumentation: The track minimizes traditional rock instrumentation, favoring sub-bass frequencies, electronic drum pads, and repetitive piano motifs.
- Thematic Resonance: The lyrics reflect the socio-political tensions of the mid-2010s, positioning the phrase "walk on water" as both an aspiration and an ironic commentary on modern expectations.
Upon release, the song received mixed-to-positive reviews from contemporary music critics. While purists of the band's earlier alternative rock sound occasionally expressed reservations about the electronic pivot, mainstream charts embraced the track. It charted prominently on international rock and alternative airplay charts, proving that Leto’s instinct for contemporary commercial hooks remained sharp.
Fact 2: The Live Debut at the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards
One of the most defining promotional moments for "Walk on Water" occurred on August 27, 2017—just five days after the single's digital release—at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs). Jared Leto delivered a memorable, highly stylized performance that utilized cutting-edge stage technology and captured the intense public focus of the evening.
Instead of performing on the traditional physical stage, Leto utilized thermal imaging technology and augmented reality lighting effects. Standing in near-total darkness bathed in infrared and heat-signature aesthetics, Leto commanded the stage alongside a minimalist backing setup. This visual choice underscored the modern, high-tech ethos of the America album cycle.
| VMA Performance Element | Technical and Artistic Intent |
|---|---|
| Thermal Imaging Camera | Subverted standard live broadcast visuals. |
| Minimalist Stage Presence | Emphasized Jared Leto's central frontman role. |
| Surprise Special Guest | Elevated mainstream pop-culture visibility. |
During the broadcast, Leto also used the platform to pay emotional tributes to late musicians Chester Bennington of Linkin Park and Chris Cornell of Soundgarden, bridging the gap between alternative rock generations. This performance cemented "Walk on Water" as an immediate fixture of late-summer pop culture and drove a massive surge in digital streaming numbers within the first week.
Fact 3: The Massive Crowdsourced Documentary A Day in the Life of America
Jared Leto’s ambitions for the "Walk on Water" era extended far beyond standard music videos or promotional interviews. In 2017, he spearheaded a monumental documentary project titled A Day in the Life of America. To capture the footage, Leto deployed over 90 professional film crews—alongside thousands of citizen journalists, fans, and amateur videographers—across all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C., on a single calendar date: July 4, 2017.
The primary objective of this project was to assemble a kaleidoscopic, unfiltered portrait of the United States on Independence Day, capturing everything from massive public celebrations and political rallies to quiet domestic moments, professional sports events, and late-night shifts by essential workers.
Execution and Scale of the Project
- Simultaneous Filming: Crews recorded across multiple time zones concurrently throughout the 24-hour cycle of July 4, 2017.
- Thematic Alignment: The visual footage gathered during this massive undertaking heavily informed the visual identity, lyric videos, and subsequent music video iterations for "Walk on Water."
- Directorial Vision: Jared Leto served as the director, weaving the disparate narratives into a cohesive cinematic statement about American identity, unity, and fracture.
This initiative showcased Leto’s deep commitment to multimedia art, merging his career as a Hollywood feature film director and documentary filmmaker with his responsibilities as a touring rock musician. The project ultimately resulted in a feature-length film that premiered at festival circuits following the release of the America album.
Fact 4: The Official Music Video Was Edited from Over 10,00 часа (Hours) of Footage
While A Day in the Life of America functioned as a feature-length documentary, the official music video for "Walk on Water" served as its direct musical distillation. Jared Leto faced the daunting task of condensing thousands of hours of raw, multi-format footage collected on July 4, 2017, into a tight, three-minute-and-fifty-second music video.
The resulting video presents a fast-paced, high-energy montage of American life. It juxtaposes contrasting slices of society: skateboarders in urban centers, cowboys on rural ranches, families at backyard barbecues, protestors in city streets, and artists in local studios.
Key Visual Motifs in the Video
- Diversity of Experience: Deliberate inclusion of multi-generational, multi-ethnic, and geographically varied subjects to reflect the song's title theme regarding the breadth of the nation.
- Kinetic Editing: Rapid cuts that match the driving electronic tempo of the song's chorus.
- Cinematic Framing: High-definition widescreen cinematography mixed with archival-style handheld digital captures to create a textured, authentic visual feel.
By using crowdsourced footage rather than a scripted narrative starring the band members themselves, Leto positioned everyday people as the protagonists of the "Walk on Water" narrative. This approach minimized traditional rock-star posturing in favor of documentary realism.
Fact 5: The Single Bridged a Four-Year Gap in Studio Output
For fans of Thirty Seconds to Mars, the arrival of "Walk on Water" in 2017 ended a frustratingly long hiatus. The band's previous album, Love, Lust, Faith + Dreams, had been released in May 2013. Between 2013 and 2017, Jared Leto’s professional schedule became intensely complicated by high-profile cinematic commitments.
Most notably, Leto spent a significant portion of 2015 and 2016 deeply entrenched in method acting for his role as the Joker in Warner Bros.' DC Comics blockbuster Suicide Squad (2016), followed by intensive shooting schedules for Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic Blade Runner 2049 (2017). These demanding acting roles temporarily sidelined the band's recording schedule, leading to widespread speculation about whether Thirty Seconds to Mars would ever return to active studio production.
| Year | Major Professional Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2013 | Release of studio album Love, Lust, Faith + Dreams. |
| 2014–2015 | Extensive global touring and initial cinematic hiatus. |
| 2016 | High-profile theatrical release of Suicide Squad. |
| 2017 | Release of "Walk on Water" and filming of Blade Runner 2049. |
The release of "Walk on Water" in August 2017 definitively answered those questions. It proved that despite his successful parallel career as an Academy Award-winning actor, Jared Leto remained fully committed to maintaining Thirty Seconds to Mars as a major cultural and musical force.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Jared Leto's song "Walk on Water" released?
"Walk on Water" was released globally on August 22, 2017, through Interscope Records. It served as the lead single for Thirty Seconds to Mars' fifth studio album, America, which followed in 2018.
What album is "Walk on Water" featured on?
The track is the opening track and lead single of the 2018 album America. The album marked a distinct sonic shift for the band, incorporating more electronic, minimalist, and pop-oriented production elements compared to their earlier post-grunge releases.
What is the documentary A Day in the Life of America connected to the 2017 single?
A Day in the Life of America is a feature-length documentary directed by Jared Leto that was filmed entirely on July 4, 2017. Over 90 film crews and numerous citizens captured footage across the United States on that single day, providing the raw material for both the documentary and the official "Walk on Water" music video.
Why did it take four years for Thirty Seconds to Mars to release new music after 2013?
The four-year gap between albums was largely driven by Jared Leto's heavy involvement in major cinematic projects. During this hiatus, Leto starred as the Joker in Suicide Squad (2016) and appeared in Blade Runner 2049 (2017), which required intensive shooting schedules and promotional tours.
How was the live performance of "Walk on Water" at the 2017 VMAs unique?
At the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards, Jared Leto performed the song using thermal imaging and infrared heat-signature camera technology rather than standard stage lighting, creating a striking visual presentation that stood out from typical live television broadcasts.
Final Recommendations for Fans and Researchers
For those looking to fully explore the 2017 "Walk on Water" era of Jared Leto and Thirty Seconds to Mars, start by viewing the official music video to examine the crowdsourced cinematography firsthand. Next, watch the band's thermal-camera performance from the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards to understand the multimedia direction of the era. Finally, seek out the full-length documentary A Day in the Life of America for a deeper dive into the sociopolitical snapshot that inspired Leto's creative vision during this period.
