Yen Strange Faces Her Past in the Haunting "Go Away"
Photo: Nova Farrell
Following the release of her debut single "Donnie Darko," Sydney-via-Moruya local Yen Strange releases her latest single "Go Away." The song highlights a different side of the multi-talented writer, singer, and producer who transforms sadness and angst into a shimmering, instantly relatable emo-anthems that showcase her host of musical influences.
Inspired by Yen Magazine and the chaos of navigating one’s feelings, Yen creates a sonic experience full of memorable lyrics that explore relationships and the speed at which feelings can shift, all amplified by a clever hip-hop, pop-punk, and trap-inspired beat. "I literally couldn’t speak to anyone about what happened, not even my Mum," says Strange, "but I could write a song about it and let it go a bit in that way."
According to the singer, the title is ironic and explores the feeling of knowing that if you saw someone you used to care about, all the feelings you used to feel would come rushing back, so it's better just cut them off. Her message to people is not to ignore when they feel gross or uncomfortable about a relationship and encourages them to change. "You know when you think people will be there forever, then one day you just don’t think that anymore. It’s so hard when things change. I don’t feel as sick to my stomach anymore when I think about it, but I still agree with what I said when I wrote this. There’s those people that you just want to waste every day with, and for a while, you do, then one day it’s just not what it was anymore. So I don’t want to see them, not because I hate them, but because I’d rather run from those old versions of myself," she adds.
The accompanying comic-book-style music video is an engaging piece of visual art created by We Made A Thing Studios. "So, We Made A Thing Studios is run by these two great guys, Tom and Jeremy," shares Yen. "I discovered them when Tom did a Lecture at my uni. Then after some chats about the shows I liked as a kid and the ideas they had, it was underway! Jeremy actually worked on Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows, which you can see hints of in this video."
Viewers follow an animated Strange as she wanders around her ghost-filled house. After venturing outside with ghosts in tow, she finds herself at the edge of an ominously green-lit portal. Belting into the ether, "Life is boring / Now I’m thinking / Teenage romance is a crime," our protagonist is then pushed into the portal as soon as the second chorus hits. Luckily, a glowing, Casper-esque friendly ghost saves her from the abyss, and the video ends with the duo happily hanging out in Strange’s house. "I loved and still love watching cartoons, so the video is inspired by my favorite shows like Edgar and Ellen, Storm Hawks, and Ruby Gloom, etc., which the We Made A Thing guys really added to with their blockbuster approach."
Watch the "Go Away" video below:
