Yungblud embarks on ‘journey of self-reclamation’ with 10-minute single
It's “a journey that is meant to be played in its entirety that doesn’t for a moment hold back or let its imagination be filtered,” says Yungblud of ‘Hello Heaven, Hello’
By Tomás Mier
Yungblud is introducing his fourth studio album with a nearly 10-minute epic. On Tuesday, the British rocker released the cinematic video for his lengthy single ‘Hello Heaven, Hello’, which introduces his first album in three years.
“’Hello Heaven, Hello’ is the opening statement to my new album,” he said in a press release. “It’s a journey of self-reclamation, a goodbye to the past and how you may have known or perceived me before, and a hello to the future and where I’m going. It sets the precedent for what this album is.”
The Charlie Sarsfield-directed video opens with a shirtless Yungblud singing the pop-punky song from a snowy field of black roses before riding along the mountains on a black horse. As the song builds, Yungblud takes off with wings into the air before a new scene from inside a black-and-white TV set filled with guitar solos, sexy dance moves, and lots of confetti. The clip ends with an orchestral final part to show a reflective Yungblud singing over a soft guitar from the peak of a mountain.
“It’s an adventure that’s sonically more ambitious than ever before, a journey that is meant to be played in its entirety that doesn’t for a moment hold back or let its imagination be filtered. I wanted its first moment to be a statement,” Yungblud said in a statement, adding that he was discouraged from dropping the lengthy track since it’d be too “risky.”
“In my opinion, risk is an artist’s greatest tool — putting everything on the line in pursuit of the best evolution and art you can make — without risk there is no innovation,” he said. “I feel like for the first time in a long time I’m exactly where I need to be and doing exactly what I’m supposed to be doing — making exactly what I want — exploring the past, the present, the future, and most importantly, myself.”
Without revealing its name, Yungblud described his upcoming album as “magical” and where things “start” for him. “Where the fuck are we gonna end up?” he asked. “Let’s see. Get on the horse. Let’s ride.”
According to a press release, Yungblud started working on the song nearly four years ago, before his 2022 album, Yungblud. He was in his hotel room and felt himself “falling into my own cliche.” He said, “I’d become comfortable. It was good in a way; it meant that I had my own style. But I’ve always said that if people know where I’m going next, that is my idea of failure.”