Self-proclaimed “electroexotica” duo Stronger Sex – comprised of Johnny Fantastic and Leah Gage – is bringing their vivid personalities to the world in an exciting new visual for single “Dead Women”, Directed and Edited by Mark Williams Hoelscher. At the center of the experience is a stuffed monkey, and other versions of what look to be childhood toys. But it’s what happens with those toys that will really put you into a tailspin. (Could they come alive, a la Toy Story? Is it OK to think they’re still cute and not creepy?) The main focus, however, is the protagonist, who is depicted experiencing the emotional turmoil that aligns with the lyrics in the song. Confirms Leah Gage of the track:
“Dead Women” is a song about feeling the weight of a legacy of important matriarchs, and the pressure to live up to their expectations. My mom and my grandmother were both extremely smart (and troubled) women who placed a lot of emphasis on prestige and renown, and expected me to achieve both, almost on their behalf. Since they’ve both died, I struggle a lot with knowing whether I’ll ever live up to their expectations. I used to keep their photos all over my room, as a kind of inspiration, but after a while I realized it was just making me anxious and sad, and I needed to figure things out for myself. So, this video is inspired by that idea. There’s a girl, who lives in a fantasy world with her “friends” who are clearly all toys, and she lives with an overbearing woman who wants her to get rid of her friends and join reality. Eventually, the woman goes behind the girl’s back, throws the friends in the trash, and goes back to her life. The girl is utterly distraught, but eventually uses her anger and frustration to channel herself out of the house, and she runs away, with her friends. Both the woman and the girl are flawed – these aren’t of course her friends, they’re toys. And the woman, well, she probably has her reasons for wanting the girl to join reality, even if she’s going about it in a mean way.
This video brings light to a struggle many women face, and we are pleased to host the exclusive premiere.
Keep up with Stronger Sex via Bandcamp and Facebook.
“Dead Women” is an amazing video!