Live Review: PREMIERE: St. South lets us in with 'Growing Up' video

Perth artist ST. SOUTH makes her return this month with a new single titled 'Growing Up'. This is her third single this year, with 'Does Your Brain Ever Get This Loud?' and the N.Y.C.K-featuring 'If It's Not You', and another exciting development for her as she lets us further and further into her world. Prior to 2020, it had been two years since we'd heard from her, but now she's back with a newly evolved creative vision and we're thrilled to be premiering her brand new video today.

It's a sweet and gentle song, and its captivating power lies in just how intimate and vulnerable it is. Like you're overhearing a careful whispering conversation, 'Growing Up' is an inviting out-stretched hand letting you know it's going to be okay and that you're not alone.

The accompanying visuals are simple and effective, which makes perfect sense as a pairing to the song itself. It doesn't need anything too flashy, just St. South having a boogie or hanging out in various locations, but it's the simplicity of the clip that amplifies just how personal it is. From taking a solo swim to dancing by herself in a rainforest, it's almost like a reassurance to herself and it allows the watcher to immerse themselves even further into the underlying complexities in the song.

Speaking of her new release, St. South described 'Growing Up' as "a song about growing through love and friendships. Losing love, and friendships. Accepting that the pain that comes from losing either of these things is vital to growing."

She continued, saying, "At first listen it sounds like a break up song, which is what I want the public to hear. But for me personally there is a double meaning, relating to anxiety. The lines, “won’t you just try to be brave?” and “you pulled away, I guess that’s when you needed a break”, are things that I’ve said to myself during bad patches of anxiety. I tend to turn inwards and focus on self care when things get tough. Very rarely, but sometimes, people/friends can take that personally, and think that they’ve done something wrong to make me pull away. When really, I just need the space to care for myself again, before I can be available to other people."

"'Squeeze my hand when you’ve had enough' is a line anyone with anxiety wants to hear from their partner or friends in a social setting. If a place or event gets too overwhelming, knowing that I can just quietly squeeze their hand when I want to leave is the best safety blanket."

'Growing Up' is out now.

Words by Emma Jones

Image by Liam Gillie

LISTEN TO NEW MUSIC HERE

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ST SOUTH RELEASES NERVOUS ENERGY EP