There’s no more powerless feeling than wanting to love someone only for that person to push that love away, and Canadian indie-pop singer/songwriter Astrid Tanton sits with such sentiments in her new single “Love You” — available now.
Fresh from her debut album, From My Eyes, Tanton’s vocals soar as she sings with the clear-voiced honesty of feeling (metaphorically) bruised by a relationship rotting from the inside, all amid velvety synth and full-bodied piano.
You’ve got me beat up and bruised
I crash into you
Another night, another fight
What should I do?
Because I just want to love you
“This song came from learning to navigate love and relationships,” Tanton says. “Being young and falling in love is completely idealized by society, when it can be really difficult. This song focuses on the fear of being vulnerable and trusting someone to be careful with your heart.
“Love isn’t easy, but nothing worth it ever comes easy.”
That vulnerability is conveyed in both the song and the video concept. “It was to be very stripped back, and focus on the words and emotions of the song,” she shares of the process. “I’ve done a lot of super fun, high-energy videos, so this song and video was a chance for me to do something different; something less polished and rawer.”
At 19, Astrid Tanton is an accomplished artist, writer, and producer. Having loved music from a young age (“Eye of the Tiger” was a favorite at age three) and starting to write with her musician brother at age 11, it was clear to everyone around her that music would always rule her life.
Her goal? Make sure no young person feels alone. Having volunteered at the Regent Park School of Music for four years, Tanton has seen firsthand how music can show kids from a young age that their voices make a better world. Astrid lives in Toronto and attends Ryerson University.
Each song on From My Eyes is as confessional as “Love You.” “I really wanted to let people into what has shaped me into the singer/songwriter and young woman I am today,” Tanton says. “Each song recalls and explores a pivotal event in my self-growth.
“From My Eyes means a lot to me,” she continues. “Not just as a singer, but as a woman being vulnerable and open about experiences that weren’t always easy but made me stronger.”
Her new single “Love You,” and album, From My Eyes, are available now.
