As a kid, Beck felt that society fed her with the lie that love was the only ingredient needed to keep a relationship afloat. But her new single captures the moment where it painfully settled in for her that this is so far from the truth; Beck Pete’s “April Fools in February” drops in combination with part one just ahead of her upcoming EP “Scared Of Everything” through Wilder Records.
The music video, directed by Zoe Kraft & Beck Pete herself, is actually quite funny because of its underlying tongue-in-cheek attitude that -to me- represents a strong sense of self-awareness while wallowing in a miserable time. Beck gives you a look back at a moment of heartbreak, providing a unique juxtaposition that many might be able to relate to. In the video, I think Beck demonstrates a lot more than her enchanting vocals; but also her hidden acting chops that have a way of sucking you in from the very start. If she has that same charisma and allure on stage, I can definitely see why she attracts such engaged live audiences.
“April Fools in February” comes from a self-described tendency to learn life lessons the hard way, something that a lot of us can relate to. It’s as if she’s laughing at herself, and inviting us to laugh with her, despite having to confront such tragic realizations about a love that once felt meant-to-be.
The music video was shot in an old hotel (playing a part in her rather cheeky lyrics) and the simplicity of the storyline allows Beck’s charismatic presence to shine as she acts out the intensity of her emotions and the complex feeling of “not being enough” or the “need to be someone else”. There’s an additional bit of visual storytelling communicated through the use of color and light, using the different colored sets to clearly express different emotions and phases of the heartbreak.
Ultimately, both the song and the music video are about finally getting to the punchline; a very sour and cruel joke that Beck felt was being played on her. All through her life she thought love was the only thing necessary to keep a relationship afloat but unfortunately, after a strongly-bonded long-distance relationship collapsed on her, she realized that there’s a lot more to it. Ain’t life funny like that? Luckily, she turns her heartbreak on its head and then onto herself, a prank that she gets to laugh at time and time again alongside her faithful audience.
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Story: Samuel ApontePhotos: Courtesy of the artist
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