When Sharon Van Etten announced her upcoming album Remind Me Tomorrow earlier this month, she also shared “Comeback Kid,” the title of which is fitting: This will be Van Etten’s first album since 2014’s Are We There. Now she’s shared a video for the track, and it features a fervent energy and, in a more tangible sense, Van Etten standing in front of a wall with images and videos projected onto her. Director Jonathan William Turner says the imagery comes from Van Etten’s “personal archive of photos and videos”:
“The visuals draw from Sharon’s personal archive of photos and videos as the narrative of the song looks back on her past. The elements are then reactivated by an undercurrent of abstract animations. These sequences are also used to frame and obscure her performance, suggesting the fractured identity of someone looking at their past, but also confidently facing the future. Sharon is both audience and projectionist of her memories.”
Van Etten also spoke about the song, saying it’s about different versions of herself:
“As the lyrics for ‘Comeback Kid’ unfolded, I realized I was talking about many selves: the kid, the adult, the sibling, the friend, the neighbor. I imagined a projector streaming over me of memories, unclear if they are mine or someone else’s, confronted by the disorientation of time and perspective. Jonathan William Turner helped me to convey these struggles of self, forgiveness, and living in the now.”
Watch the “Comeback Kid” video above.
Remind Me Tomorrow is out 01/18 via Jagjaguwar. Pre-order it here.
