Conner Eko’s forthcoming single, Standing Up (Stay in Studio), is an unflinching testomony to resilience and defiance. Penned throughout a battle with suicidal ideation, the Vallejo, California-based astrophysicist and indie pop singer-songwriter channels his ache right into a piano-driven energy ballad that dares to shatter the silence round psychological well being struggles. The discharge, recorded reside and uncut at Oakland’s twenty fifth Avenue Recording Studios, marks one other milestone in Eko’s deeply private {and professional} evolution.
Eko’s efficiency, underscored by his strident piano chords and backed by the soulful harmonies of Marlo Goeller and Angel Syriah, achieves a seismic emotional pressure. The crescendos are sanctifying, surging with a zeal that carries echoes of Meat Loaf’s theatricality, tempered by gospel-inspired backing vocals. Every lyric resonates with the load of somebody who has confronted the abyss and drawn a line within the sand, refusing to succumb to despair.
Filmed by unbiased filmmaker Aaron Japzon, the reside session captures not simply the music however the uncooked authenticity of Eko’s story. A brief documentary, set to launch shortly after the one, delves deeper into Eko’s journey, exploring his battle with despair and his transformative restoration via psychedelic integration remedy.
With its allegory of power and refusal to attend for miracles, Standing Up doesn’t simply advocate for psychological well being—it’s a visceral push towards hope.
Standing Up will likely be accessible to stream on all main platforms, together with Spotify and Bandcamp, from January 24th.
Evaluation by Amelia Vandergast