Do remember that silly faux-viral-but-actually-an-ad-campaign First Kiss Video from a while back, and the adorable song playing in the background? Well, that sweet tune is one of Soko’s chart-topping songs, “We Might Be Dead By Tomorrow” and it is worth much more than an overshadowed role as background music.
The song tackles the presence of death in love, spot-lighting the ever-present and insatiable fear of the loss of a loved one. Its accompanying music video is anything but a cutesy viral-vid; it bluntly juxtaposes the beauty of love alongside the ominous tragedy of death, i.e: lovers making out with pasta in their mouths, then flashes of tombstones. Sexy and sad in a Blue Is The Warmest Color French kind of way, Soko’s videos are hyper-indulgent, avant garde, and all directed by Stéphanie Sokolinski herself.
This actress/musician seriously knows how to nab attention while telling super weird stories. In her video “Monster Love (I Just Want To Make It New With You)” we follow the love story of a lonely monster and the mermaid that rejects him. The video shows how alienating society can be, as vicious children throw fruit at the outcasts. Soko croons in the background, “You will discover me, through my songs. My heartbreaks, fears, and depression. Hear all the cracks in the rack of talent, and I hope that you don’t hate me by then.” It appears that she has a deep stream of emotions, that she confronts through visual art and music.
I admire everything that Soko is doing, purely because she is so fearlessly constructing her own little universe. Artists are storytellers, but in Soko’s case she is also kind of a nightmare-teller.
Soko combats the commonplace pop-princess world of female singer/songwriters by being unabashedly weird and moody. She is confusing, dark, trippy, and very original. I’m pleased to see the videos elevate her sound past catchy sad-girl anthems. Soko shows her colors as a true performance artist, determined to share her perspective on life through semi-nonsensical, overwhelming visuals.
You go girl! Fingers crossed you aren’t actually tripping on drugs all the time, and these visions are from your deep wealth of creative energy.
Images Courtesy of Soko
