In an effort to artistically and thoughtfully voice her concerns over social and political matters, singer-songwriter Jessie Reyez issues a stunning statement on U.S. immigration laws on her single "Far Away." Upon first listen, “Far Away” seems like a sentimental tale of a long-distance relationship. However, the Colombian-Canadian songstress uses her platform to issue her profound take on an issue that impacts many across the country. Over a mid-tempo track, her lyrics add the often-forgotten human element to the subject noting, “I feel like I need you tonight beside me / You're still a world away / And you're still waitin' for your papers / Been feelin' like the government wants us to break up / iPhone XXX, FaceTime saves us.”
For the accompanying visual directed by Peter Huang, the love story meets an abrupt and alarming end when the couple is torn apart during an ICE raid. Rather than dance around the truly tragic nature of the issue at hand, the video features images of overly aggressive agents, caged humans and carnage. By bringing the reality of what is happening to homes and phones everywhere, Reyez says she wants the visual to serve as a “catalyst in your brain.” She hopes to mobilize her fan base into action, urging them to “be a part of the solution” and directs them to her website for information on organizations active in addressing this crisis, including ACLU, Al Otro Lado and the Florence Project.
Take in Jessie Reyez’s powerful message in “Far Away” via the audio and video below. SoulBouncers in Los Angeles, Brooklyn and San Antonio can grab tickets to catch her live towards the end of this month before she heads across the pond for a handful of shows in Germany, the Netherlands and France.
