Devon Thompson has released her new video for the track titled ‘So Close’. A bit of haunting with a sultry twist, ‘So Close’ delves into a personal underground of a secret perspective of a Halloween theme.
Retro in style with a bit of personal darkened tastes, ‘So Close’ feels like an angelic demon on your shoulder at that time of personal decision. Standing in front of that whole holding the shovel you just used to make it feels so dark and decadent after this first listen.
About Devon Thompson & ‘So Close’
“So Close” is a sultry, minor-chord slowburn that slinks stealthily like a black cat, preparing to pounce on its prey. So it’s rather appropriate that its release date circles around Halloween. “Halloween embodies its theme,” she continues. “It also is the event or theme that I relate to the most and supports the dark edge to my music and my style. It’s always been my favorite holiday, and I’ve always wanted to release something that’s not a ‘Halloween song’ necessarily, but that really has a darkness to it.”
A post-punk alt-pop song (“it’s not a goth song, but the writing and poetry is goth-inspired”), the subject matter of “So Close” follows closely with its ominous aura. “I was on a little bit of a ‘serial killer documentary’ kick when I got the inspiration for this song,” she confesses. “It’s essentially a fictional story about a person who goes mad and kills their lover. Why did they do it? Did they do it because they’re just crazy? Did someone tell them to do it? In my head, they’ve been a serial killer all along, and one day something snaps in them, and all they can think about is the poetry and the beauty in their lover being buried in a beautiful garden.”
Styled with a bit of the same B-Movie flair of the single, the accompanying provocative video which is released today catches Devon in a murderous mood, stabbing her romantic interest in the heart while he slumbers. While the song’s storyline is a bit less ambiguous, the feels in the video are open to interpretation. Devon envisions it less of a paean to murder than a love-fueled, fantastical narrative. “In my head, it’s sort of a Beetlejuice-kinda story where I’m already dead, but my lover isn’t,” she laughs, referencing the popular Tim Burton film. “I kill him and bring him back to life so we can exist as the dead together cuz it’s more romantic.”
Called “angry, unforgettable” (Beats Per Minute) and “smart and seductive” (We All Want Someone To Shout For), Devon has been likened to “PJ Harvey, Sarah Bettens, Johnette Napolitano” (American Pancake), and her music “will quickly make your ears fall in love” (Zone Nights). Sponsored by Gibson Guitar who signed her to a sponsorship upon meeting her (“They hadn’t heard any music, nothing. I just went in there, I grabbed a guitar and started playing it, and they wanted me to be one of their artists”), her ability to turn heads is almost legendary. Her partnership with producer James Salter (The Raveonettes, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club) formed with the same immediacy. “We were just going to do six songs together and part ways, but we had something going,” she explains. Bonding over a shared love for the 4AD shoegaze band Lush, Devon and Salters continued to collaborate which resulted in a wealth of new music, more of which is planned for release in 2024.
Growing up in Los Angeles, Devon was an outsider and a lone wolf of sorts. Bullied and criticized as a kid for being an artist, overcoming these judgments helped guide her into being a stronger and more creative artist. In an effort to spare her the childhood cruelty, she moved schools multiple times which may have exacerbated that isolation but also helped turn her coping mechanism into a creative outlet. “When I struggle mentally, I use my writing for good and create stories where I can more positively influence myself,” she explains about the transformative power that her creativity has over past trauma. “Even if the concept is dark, it helps me so much to write about it, and write about it from someone else’s perspective.”
Now with a new single to launch more music planned, Devon Thompson is ready and gearing up for a busy 2024. “I have another single and an EP I am releasing in 2024 that I think really represent where I am at as an artist right now,” she concludes. “My goal is to share my music with people, connect everyone, and play TONS of shows.” “So Close,” indeed.
Featured image by Jaxon Whittington.
LINKS:
https://www.devonthompsonmusic.com
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4Kc2fveBGCYTxAmmAzkXDB?si=6j0UIijxSDGtTjYwARtr_A
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100055666714802
https://www.instagram.com/devonthompsonmusic/
