Showing he’s unafraid to broach topics others fear to tread, Toronto’s trap-soul hip- hop artist MARCUS HARAN drops his new single, ‘Otherside.’
His latest offering explores the theme of addiction, abuse, and mental health, accompanied by Haran’s very real, very raw lyrical storytelling roots found throughout his breakthrough LP — ‘Marcus Haran: A True Story. a Soundscape to in-Difference. (2018)’. The 10-track conceptual album of jazzy, velvet vox was rife with truth-telling, touching on his life story being a Parisian-born Sri Lankan refugee, having vitiligo, and painful childhood memories of being used as a drug mule, and experiences with depression and abuse.
“This is a tragic love ballad,” he offers of “Otherside.” “It’s me telling the story of a fatal attraction between two people in love, but also the relationship between someone and the addiction that loves them. Making the music video for this was an emotional experience for everyone involved,” Haran shares. “Especially the actors portraying the two main characters: some reactions weren’t always an act…”
“Although addiction, abuse, and mental illness in general are topics addressed in ‘Otherside,’ I also wanted to highlight recovery through understanding that there are options. My hope for this video is, if someone recognizes the situation, they can get help — whether for someone they love, or for themselves.”
‘Otherside’ is available now on all DSPs. Watch the official music video for the hard-hitting single below…