Nemahsis Confidently Shares the Spotlight in "you wore it better"
Palestinian-Canadian artist Nemahsis is on the brink of unveiling her highly anticipated debut album. Her second single of the year, "you wore it better," gives us a taste of what's to come. The vulnerable single offers a glimpse into the artist's psyche as she wrestles with feeling lesser than others and finding and living her truth.
Opening with dreamy harpsichord lines, Nemahsis' ethereal vocals seep in, expressing her fear of letting people close to her and them coming to hate her. As gentle guitar strums and drum machine percussion float in the background, she croons over the production, "'Cause once you know, what's lying underneath / Judgement shows, I'm not deceiving / And you chose how you want to / See me." The celestial chorus continues to flourish as layers of grooving bass and warm piano riffs join the blend, with the artist wearing her heart on her sleeve as she sings poignant lines like, "You wore it better / Than I could ever / Nothing's gonna change the fact / That you can wear it better."
"Andy Warhol predicted that every person will experience 15 seconds of fame, but that is only possible if we share the spotlight," shares Nemahsis. "Accepting that I can't always wear it best increases the probability of you wearing it better. I believe the 'main character' experience is only possible if one settles for mediocrity, at least once. 'You wore it better' is me living by this truth."
The accompanying music video is a captivating one-take visual directed by Jack Peros that intimately follows the artist as she runs through the woods. The narrative of the video mirrors the song's theme of self-acceptance and the struggle with comparison. "My friend once wore this T-shirt, and I wanted to look as cool as them, so I bought a matching one," Nemahsis writes. "It took me years to comfortably wear it because I had convinced myself it didn't look as good on me as it did on them. When I wrote this song, I remembered this child-size cheap Niagara Falls merch T-shirt, and I just laughed a little."
Back in November, Nemahsis made a bold statement on social media when her record label dropped her for "speaking up against the occupation of my homeland, Palestine." Now, she's taking her music into her own hands, releasing music independently, including her previous single, "Stick of Gum." The track, which came out last month, marked a new chapter in her career and was her first release of 2024. It carries itself with an exciting alternative-led production, with Nemahsis' vocals piercing straight to the heart, culminating in an airy chant filled with hope and determination to endure consequences in pursuit of understanding and harmony.
Watch the "you wore it better" video below:
