Singer Kelela has dropped a music video for her new single Idea 1, directed by 91 Rules. The track marks her first original music since the Raven era. She premiered it in New York on Monday after clearing her social media accounts last week.
Kelela surprised fans by clearing her social media presence last week, building anticipation for new material. On Monday, she premiered Idea 1 live in New York. The following day, April 8, she released the official video for the grunge-influenced track, as first reported by Pitchfork. The visual was directed by 91 Rules and captures the song's tense atmosphere. Kelela co-wrote Idea 1 with producer Oscar Scheller and painter Janiva Ellis, whom she called her best friend in a press release. Scarlet House, a shoegaze artist, contributed additional guitar. In the release, Kelela explained the song's theme: “what it feels like to exist in this climate—the weight of being expected to witness, absorb, and speak truth at a time when the world feels like it’s unraveling. That’s a particular kind of burden Black women know intimately. This song doesn’t offer answers, it just refuses to look away. Co-writing it with my best friend Janiva Ellis, hearing Oscar’s production give it shape, and then watching 91 Rules bring that tension to life visually feels like the beginning of a much larger conversation I’m ready to have.” This release follows the Raven era, which included a remix album and the live recording In the Blue Light. Idea 1 signals the start of a new chapter for the artist.
