After teasing it last week, Willow has released a brand-new single, along with a self-directed music video. The new track, “symptom of life,” is a breath of fresh air after a darker path of rock & inner rage pursued with the previous release <COPINGMECHANISM> (2022). This single gives us a hint of what we can expect for the next album.
Finding Light in Darkness
“symptom of life” makes introspection its main element, bringing back the good old vibes of Willow’s discography. The LA-based musician is at her best, emotionally and mentally, after a rough time of her life. “I was going through so much, there was so much anger and resentment, so much need to just express myself,” she said in a November interview for RS. “Those two albums (‘lately I feel EVERYTHING’ and ‘THE ANXIETY’) helped me get it out. For I was almost never sober in the studio. And for this new album, I was sober for every single recording session.”
Historically, in music, lights and shadows have characterized the musical journey of many artists, and Willow herself has not been spared from this rule. But “symptom of life” wants to be something more introspective than the usual. It’s more like a guide to a deeper understanding of life.
What’s Next for Willow?
The song’s accompanying video was directed by the singer. It sees her and two friends walking in a forest before finding a snail shell and looking up at the sky. Willow then lays down on a patch of grass and begins to sing. The video ends with her laying on a patch of grass with flowers around her.
“symptom of life” is only the first taste of Willow’s 2024 in music, waiting for something bigger.
