Jessie Reyez talked to VICE about her debut album “Before Love Came to Kill Us” and about how making the video for “Coffin” made her think about self-censorship.
The long piece offers not only Jessie’s thoughts and commentaries but also reporter’s commentaries on her record, some of them directly related to Eminem and his role:
Throughout the album, she uses her unlikely privilege as a woman expertly. If a man spoke about love in the aggressive way she does, there would be blowback. Eminem, at his peak, probably wouldn’t survive in the era of identity politics, but Reyez reserves space for him on “Coffin”‘s grisly messaging.
Often, music can talk about what brings people to the proverbial ledge, but “Coffin,” which is a striking example of her writing style, tells the story of what happens when you jump. The song’s production is stripped down with only a guitar like much of Reyez’s earlier work. Although the singer’s relationship is less than perfect, she’d rather love him into the afterlife in a coffin made for them both. As delicate as the song sounds, the lyrics are eerily morbid. “I’ll probably see you in the window, while I’m falling past the fifth floor,” she sings.
When I ask if she considers how her imagery might trigger others, you can tell even she grapples with how raw her songwriting is.
“I didn’t consider that until I started making the video for [“Coffin”],” she says. “If I’m honest with you, it’s a battle. The second I start doing that its censorship, and when I start censoring my shit, who am I?”
That’s the extent of the information we get on the video so far. Jessie did not elaborate on any production details. At least now we know it for sure, not guessing from some fleeting images.
You can read the full article here >>
Listen to “Coffin” feat. Eminem below:
