British group Years & Years were one of our favourite new artists last year. They released the smash hits King, Shine and Eyes Shut. Now, the group have chosen Desire as their next single and have brought on Swedish singer Tove Lo to put her own spin on the official single version of the song – and the collaboration is everything we hoped it would be!
The band’s lead singer, Olly Alexander, has delivered another stellar vocal performance with his clear, strong vocals. The song is perfectly written and explores the difference between love and desire in today’s relationships. Tove Lo, although bringing a new flavour and direction to the song, doesn’t necessarily blow us away this time around, but we’re glad the song is finally getting the recognition it deserves.
Olly also makes a very important statement in the track’s music video where he ‘celebrates queer identities’ and creates a video that doesn’t focus on the usual male-female music video romance. “Most of the pop videos I’ve seen that have any male and female interaction are usually centred around a romance, and that’s great, I am all for romance, but let’s fact it, there are a lot of other sexualities and identities that are well deserving of some shiny pop video love,” Olly wrote in an open letter. “I’ve been wanting to make a video with some of my queer family for a long time and Desire felt like the right time to do it.”
Olly adds, “I wanted the video to feel sexy. Everyone has a different definition of what they find sexy, so why do we so often get given one version of what sexy is time and time again? Is there a rulebook for men and women on how to feel sexy or what sexy is? For me, whoever it is, two women, two men, a group of gender-queer people, it’s all cute. It can all be a positive and a joyful expression of sexiness and sexuality, you don’t have to be a specific gender to enjoy it.” The music video is beautiful, powerful and necessary and we’re glad acts like Years & Years are coming to the party when it comes to gender issues like these.
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