The title of the new Air Waves album should be taken literally.
Out now, 'Warrior' references the songwriter's experiences as a queer woman, her struggle to be heard, her desire to succeed and construct a bold, triumphant new record.
Alongside this, though, it's about how Air Waves – real name Nicole Schneit – felt as she watched her mother struggle against cancer.
She explains: “The doctor told her she had a fifteen to twenty percent chance, and her response was ‘I’m going to get this mother fucker'. So the title ‘Warrior’ and the song are about her. After chemotherapy, surgery, and then more chemotherapy, all the cancer in her body has left and she's currently in remission. I feel like most of the people in my life, including myself, are warriors and have overcome obstacles that seemed impossible to defeat."
The title track is a vivid statement, and it's now been given the full video treatment. The song itself features guest vocals from Kevin Morby, while the video boasts an appearance from Jason Greene aka performer/internet personality Freckle.
Air Waves continues: "The day we shot, it was pouring rain and the horses were terrified of the crews umbrellas! The idea of the warrior is persistent in the video, the horses, me and freckles. Both me and Freckles are challenging gender and sexuality norms in our presentation. The song was originally about my mom's battle with cancer, her being the warrior figure."
"The warrior is overcoming the hurt of abandonment and the feeling of personal failure. We all go through moments of feeling like it’s our fault when a relationship, or job ends but the warrior is finding happiness by overcoming these moments and starting over."
Airing first on Clash, it's a bold, dynamic clip – tune in below.
Catch Air Waves at the following shows:
January
31 London The Islington
February
1 Bristol Crofters' Rights
2 Oxford Wheatsheaf
3 Brighton The Hope & Ruin
Photo Credit: Ebru Yildiz
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