Joy Crookes has shared the second single from her upcoming debut album, Skin, which is due out on Oct. 16. Also titled “Skin”, the Blue May-produced number is the other side of the coin from June’s upbeat, doo-wop-inspired “Feet Don’t Fail Me Now”.
The piano-led production on “Skin” is the perfect backing for Joy Crookes’ soul-stirring vocals, which relay the very personal and intimate subject matter. The NONO-directed visuals don’t disappoint either: shot elegantly through a vintage 4:3 aspect ratio, Joy can be seen journeying through the city with someone near and dear to her on a moving bed, singing her heart about troubled times.
“The song is about someone very close to me who thought life wasn’t worth living during a dark time,” says Joy. “When it came to the video, it felt necessary to include that person in it. I asked him sincerely, and I was incredibly grateful when he chose to participate. The making of the video created an ownership and healing of that difficult time we both lived through. The intensity that was generated from it, being a real-life experience for the both of us, translates into the video because, ultimately, it is real.”
She added: “This autobiographical way of making work is hard, emotionally, but undeniably my favourite way of making art. NONO was so integral in this, as not only is he a fantastic director but a sensitive and empathetic character that made telling a story as difficult as ‘Skin’, a cathartic experience.”
Press play on the visuals above, and pre-order the Skin album here.
