MV PREMIERE: PAOLA BENNET “MY MOTHER SAYS”
Paola Bennet’s keen observation of the rising mental health among the younger generation and the common misconception of depression has brought us the highly relatable single “My Mother Says” as the second release from her upcoming album Maybe the Light. Through intimate, honest storytelling, “My Mother Says” sheds light on the frustration and pain one suffers from mental health. Narrative spirals from memories and conversations to the confession of frustration.
“And my mother says, ‘being sad sometimes is alright. At your age, God knows, so was I.’ How do I tell her it’s a constant haze, it’s always; it’s the sky falling, breaking over me all the time. Breaking me all the time.”
Alternates between quiescent, ethereal storytelling and energized, reverberant, distorted confession, the contrast of its color palettes, harmonious texture, and soundscape create a fascinating effect that makes the song addictive and irresistible.
“I want to hit the walls until they break, someone to say to me I’m no mistake; I want an inch of kindness, but I know that if I want to find it, I’ll have to bare my throat. And how can I, how can I?” Voicing frustration is just as powerful and cathartic. Sometimes we just needed to be heard and acknowledged.
The music video directed by Marielle Boland was created in the memory of Boland’s mother, featuring items that filled with memories: grapefruit, the ocean, painting to music, and a vintage piano owned by the previous generation of the family. “I lost both my parents this past year, and this song made me feel a connection to my mom again,” said Boland. Inspired by the music video “Les Filles Desir,” the lo-fi, nostalgic aesthetic was a wonderful, unexpected extension to the sonic experience of “My Mothers Say” as it echoes the experience Paola Bennet created with sampled sounds from old childhood footage.
Written by Katrina Yang
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