Milly Cope
Across last year's EPs View From The Bridge and Heart-Shaped Bruise, Etta Marcus has marked herself as a songwriter with an eye for lurid details and melancholy hooks. Whether it's writing about blood-red pillow cases ("Nosebleed") or finding comfort in the gutter ("Hide & Seek"), the 22-year-old south Londoner rejects vanity and lurches headlong into a grimy form of self-expression.
That unvarnished approach informs much of Marcus's latest single, "Mechanical Bull." Tucked between softly hit drums and lonely piano chords, she sings about rejecting a life of conformity and how moving away from expectations can shine a spotlight on a person. "All I gotta be is radical," she sings with a country twang. "Swallow a coin and ride. Wakey wakey. What a wonderful world."
The "Mechanical Bull" video, premiering below, takes a literal approach to the song title with Marcus riding a bucking bronco that sways in time with the waltz-like track. Shot in black and white, the video was directed by Marcus alongside co-director Oskar Brockbank.
Speaking to The FADER via email, Marcus says of the song, "As I have entered young adulthood, I have been made more aware of expectations that are placed upon me, especially as a woman. I had found myself in some deeply frustrating situations leading up to writing this song. Some moments that made me feel like I was overly sensitive or some kind of spitfire, which made me think that I should be quiet, whilst also being radical — be a machine without feelings whilst also having an opinion. I was fed up and wanted to express my desire to reject conformity, and 'Mechanical Bull' ended up being my sarcastic protest.
"The video was my first time being behind the camera and my first time on a mechanical bull so it was a wild day! It delves further into the concept of the song, capturing the moments of fear and embarrassment that come with stepping outside expectations."