Evenson's "LUNGS" Video Arrives as a Breath of Fresh Air [Premiere]
If Evenson sometimes wishes to be ignored, then his creative efforts are a genuine tension to that goal, even more pronounced after bathing in the light, tear, and emotional complexity of his latest single "LUNGS." For those not yet familiar, Evenson is a Connecticut-born Haitian American who has been pushing out fearless polygenre pop for the past few years, with his latest two singles "Devil Inside" and "LUNGS" benchmarking his upcoming debut EP Sadly, I Still Love You. Evenson’s sound is deliberately explorative, never settling in one tempo or chord structure for long, always driving emotions rather than a pattern, a sound layered in feels but always bolstered by his searching vocals.
"LUNGS," and its corresponding video directed by Jacob Rodier, follow a difficult narrative about Evenson’s grandmother passing away, and the corresponding angst and anxiety that follows. Evenson explains he wrote the song ”a month after my grandmother passed away. For the first time in my life, it felt like the walls were caving in and I had my first ever panic attack. I wanted to make a song that expressed that feeling of claustrophobia and hyper-anxiety yet offered a hopeful silver lining because in the end I always want to survive.”
Despite the weight of the narrative, both Evenson and Rodier opted for a much brighter, scenic take on the experience, creating a kaleidoscope of images paced to a rhythm that feels more philosophical than anxious. While it does have a teardrop down the cheek cutscene, the visuals are more East Coast postcard beautiful: sand dunes backing into a treelike, a lighthouse pier, knee-deep in the ocean with an endless horizon, estate-style garden, a sun-draped meadow, all with Evenson at a distance. It's poignant and longing, suggesting loss but contested with some quick mirrored shots and effects, some dancing with friends, and joyful close-ups that also posture a sense of recovery. “We wanted to use the human experience as a vessel and tool for this video. We expressed and touched on themes of chaos, rage, sadness, joy and fear; through the use of ethereal nature driven shots to evoke a feeling and state of entrancement,” shares Evenson.
However you digest "Lungs" and its corresponding visual, what stands out is the tightness of the composition, evidence of a great songwriter and a creative keen on making his emotional traumas resonate like a deep breath of cold air. So prepare your lungs, inhale, and let Evenson be the oxygen the next time life serves you that anxious-winded feeling.
Watch the "Lungs" video below:
