Ahead of the release of her debut album, Madison Beer reflects on her shifting self-identity in new short film.
Madison Beer lies with her eyes closed on a glass examination table. A brain monitoring device is strapped to her head. Her eyes twitch. The room goes dark… Have no fear, Beer-diehards, it’s just a dream.
The new Vevo short film, Dreams Look Different in the Distance, gives us a glimpse into Beer’s psyche ahead of the release of her much-anticipated debut album, Life Support. Over futuristic and tranquil visuals, the 21-year-old singer discusses finding her voice and taking ownership over her narrative in a world that has always spoken for her.
Set inside a dream, the short film opens with Beer reflecting on who she once was: “For a long time, I thought that the only way to be successful was to be a chameleon to what everyone else wanted from me,” she divulges. Caught in an endless cycle of constantly trying to meet unrealistic and disingenuous expectations, Beer began to lose her sense of self: “I started playing a character so that I could offer her up to the public, so that when she was scrutinised, it hurt less.” Certainly, as an artist who rose to fame on YouTube at the age of just 13, Beer is no stranger to the pressures of stardom and outside judgement.
Life Support marks the end of this cycle and Beer’s new beginning as an artist. Every day spent in the studio making the album was a day spent reminding herself of who she was and what she valued. In the film, standing to escape from the cables and wires both physically and mentally entrapping her, Beer explains how she “learnt to trust my intuition” and fell in love with herself again.
Beer is taking control of her story through the album. Structured chronologically, the tracklist takes us on a mental journey through the ups and downs of a disintegrating relationship. Lyrically, it explores the singer’s battles with her own mental health. By being transparent in her music, Beer hopes that she might help others to feel seen and less alone. “Ironically when I started creating for myself, that’s when it started resonating the most deeply with my audience,” Beer narrates. “They were receptive to my story and my honesty. And that gave me confidence in my own narrative. I felt more connected when I was allowed to be human.”
