Singer-songwriter D∆WN, AKA the artist formerly known as Dawn Richard, continues to give Kanye West a run for his money as the most avant garde musical artist today. In honor of her now singular nom de plume and the upcoming release of her new EP, RedemptionHeart, we have a combined visual treatment for the interlude “Titans” and the new single “James Dean.”
The Monty Marsh-directed video finds D∆WN dressed head to toe in denim flanked by two muscle bound dancers, popping and locking it, eight-counting, walking it out and Nae Nae-ing for their lives. Throughout this part of the clip, D∆WN and company transform into diamond and obsidian "titans." How this relates to a song about accepting that your perfect relationship is over is anyone’s guess, but it’s fire!
When it’s time to move on to the “James Dean” portion of the clip, D∆WN morphs into a human abacus composed of black wires and white balls, probably trying to figure out how to move on past the failed relationship. As most of us have guessed, it’s with a new love interest. Probably someone like actor James Dean. D∆WN sends her dancers away, turns the lights down low, pumps her smoke machine up and twerks for her life while sporting a James Dean t-shirt, her own Black Era shades and black knee-high boots.
As usual, D∆WN’s video treatment is simple, but never basic. Working with frequent collaborator Marsh, she has crafted a video that eschews stunts and shows for performance and creativity. She checks all the boxes of being sexy, sassy, classy and artsy. D∆WN continues to shine brighter and brighter, pushing the boundaries of our expectations and creating her own lane musically and visually.
