WATCH HERE
| Having made a flying start with their debut single ‘How Can I?’ which powered to #1 on the iTunes singer-songwriter chart, the band’s second single ‘Here For You’ shot straight to #2. Debuted by BBC Music Introducing, the song soon delivered a huge moment in the quartet’s blossoming career when it was played by Elton John on his Rocket Hour show. newfamiliar are quickly building a reputation for the emotional impact of their songwriting, and that strength is magnified within the brand new video for ‘Here For You’. The sentiment is direct yet the narrative is ambiguous, leaving it intriguingly open to interpretation. On first glance, it focuses upon a woman who is struggling to come to terms with a devastating loss. But a second viewing opens up an even more fascinating possibility: is she now mourning the death of friend or lover who had previously helped her through an earlier loss? Watch HERE. Directed by Amos Le Blanc, the video provides a clever parallel to newfamiliar’s songwriting. In both cases, vivid imagery establishes a highly poignant and reflective atmosphere, but the precise meaning is left open to people to make their own interpretations. It’s a trait that allows fans to forge a deeper connection with the band, having been initially drawn into their world by their haunting melodies or the wounded soul of Ryan Johnston’s voice. That quality was also demonstrated in the animated video for ‘How Can I?’. newfamiliar commented, “The video for ‘Here For You’ was shot in Thailand in a unique isolated community of people from all over the world. The visual storyline complements and doubles down on the sentiment of the song. It shows a young woman going through loss, and how in our darkest moments when we feel most alone, the people closest to us are still there.” The band – completed by Will Booth and Danny Hepworth – have also launched a Patreon account. The platform will provide fans with a wealth of benefits, ranging from exclusive content such as live performances and behind the scenes footage to exclusive merch and ticket pre-sales for future tours. Fans can sign up to newfamiliar’s Patreon here. They recently teased what to expect with some fresh interpretations of songs by Billie Eilish and Leon Bridges. Originally from Belfast, Ryan Johnston first met Will Booth and Danny Hepworth through Wakefield’s music scene. While they’ve collaborated in previous projects together, newfamiliar finds the trio fulfilling their limitless potential. It’s a distinctive yet timeless sound which evokes Dermot Kennedy’s observational lyricism, Paolo Nutini’s characteristic soul, the poignancy of Fleet Foxes, and the intimacy of early Bon Iver. Like Johnston’s favourite songwriter, Bill Withers, newfamiliar are big on bravery rather than bravado, depth of feeling over theatrics. They’ve continue to hone in on their style with some key collaborators such as Rich Cooper (Billie Marten, Tom Odell) and Cenzo Townsend (Florence + The Machine, U2). The trio’s engaging songcraft was rewarded with a huge debut public performance when they played Radio 1’s virtual Big Weekend last summer. |
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