AMA LOU tackles one of the most conflicting issues in the LGBT-QAA community: gender fluidity/nonconformity. Debuting exclusive visuals to ‘Not Always’ via NYLON, the British recording artist portrays a character who wants to be socially identified as a man, simultaneously (while her best friend) wants acceptance in being a woman.
“Although on the surface ‘Not Always’ appears to be a love song or a criticism of a past relationship, it is really a play on introspective thinking; talking about our negative mental voices, inner reflection and superficial worries or more developed anxieties that constantly affect our lives – ‘am I attractive’ ‘am I not masculine enough’ etc. As well as how gender as a concept is something that restricts so many people and how our society causes us to place superficial judgements on others.”
Content of this nature hasn’t been touched on as of recent via hypefresh. AMA LOU does an amazing job at conveying her point, while offering an alternative perspective for viewers who can’t relate/understand.
“This idea of finding who we really are extends into to the idea of gender fluidity/non conformity and other societal grey areas that can be so important to individual people but are not always well represented or defended in the media. ‘Not Always’ is my effort to support such representations.”
The visual was directed by AMA LOU’s older sister, Mahalia John, while the track was recorded with Brooklyn, New York-based duo Like Minds.
“The song is written from the perspective of someone addressing themselves or their inner self and that voice we all have in our heads addressing us – ‘’i try to work harder for you, even when you’re wrong” , ‘you were the best of me’ – and in the video we expanded this idea; expressing no matter your gender or place in society, it is about simply and truly feeling comfortable in your own skin.’”
More music should be like this. Fearless, unwavering and shamelessly revealing. If AMA LOU keeps this momentum going, we’ll be watching her win a few GRAMMY’s in the near future.
