Coming three months after the release of his debut album Withered, d4vd’s new video “L.O.V.E.U” makes a stark departure from clips he used to promote the album. In contrast to the dark, tortured visuals of songs like “Where’d It Go Wrong?” “One More Dance,” and “What Are You Waiting For?” the new visual is sunny and optimistic, as d4vd and guest vocalist Hannah Bahng frolic on the beach on a sunny summer day.
Perhaps this is d4vd’s way of saying that the upcoming deluxe version of Withered, Marcescence, will be more upbeat overall, reflecting his recent circumstances more than the tough life he lived prior to breaking out with “Romantic Homicide” in 2022. The song itself is certainly a shift from his usual fare, focusing more on the beginnings of a relationship than its dissolution.
“You’re pretty like the moonlight / You’re pretty like the sun,” he sings. “I’ve gotten used to losing things / But now I think I’ve won.” Bahng, an alt-indie singer-songwriter, echoes back, “I love the way you look at me / Like I’m the flower to your bee.” It’s simple but effective, evoking the feelings of a teenage crush gone right.
Watch d4vd’s “L.O.V.E.U” video featuring Hannah Bahng above.
Withered Deluxe: Marcescence is due this summer via Darkroom Records / Interscope