British-Nigerian alt-pop singer-songwriter Essence Martins returns with her new single, ‘Red Velvet’, a bittersweet reflection on first heartbreak, longing and the grief that lingers in the aftermath.
“I wrote Red Velvet after my first intense heartbreak. I remember how every little thing I did reminded me of them. I’d stumble across the places we’d go and realise how different and empty everything felt when we weren’t together anymore. I realised that some of the things she loved became my favourite things, like sweet chilli sauce with fries and Red Velvet cake. Just like all these little things she favoured, it made me realise that I used to be one of her favourites too, and now I’m not.
Essence Martins
Red Velvet is about being with someone that you end up losing. It’s the classic lovers-to-strangers story, reflecting on a relationship that was good, though not perfect, and the emotions that come with losing that connection, even when it may have been for the best.
It’s kind of like a grief that you feel even though they’re physically still here in the flesh.
It’s about reminiscing, regret and how memory can distort the past. When we reminisce, we often view things through rose-tinted glasses, remembering things as better than they really were. I think when you feel deeply for someone, you’ll always have those little ‘what ifs’ lingering in your mind like a small shadow. Someone recently told me that the cover artwork looked like the ‘red string theory’ which is a belief originating from ancient Chinese folklore describing an invisible, everlasting red string that ties together people who are fated to meet, love, or deeply impact each other’s lives. It was a lucky accident that the artwork resembled ancient folklore whose message perfectly tied into the meaning of the song.”
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