Precocious London singer RADA is back with the visuals for her addictive latest single, “Burn One”, and we can’t get enough. Sonically inspired by the likes of Brent Faiyaz, the song dwells in the intersection between RnB and trap, a “weird soft trap song”, as RADA puts it. “The beat sounded quite cinematic to me, so I approached the song like a monologue in the beginning, and it went on from there.”
Thematically, “Burn One” deals with the simultaneously personal and relatable topic of relationships, specifically the regular iterations that arise throughout your time with somebody. “The song is about the cycles I’ve experienced within relationships and how people will always make their own mistakes during them,” the singer explains. “Although some of my thoughts in the song seem quite negative, I tried to bring the end of the chorus back to a slightly positive note — ‘let’s watch some TV while I burn one’. This was me trying to make light of some of the situations that have happened, and highlight that understanding and forgiving is part of the process of building a relationship.”
Suitably, the visuals span a hazy selection of past memories, visually represented through different rooms, and it is clear RADA takes a firm interest in the more visual side of her music. Directed by LA-based filmmaker Riko Uchida, the singer explains that “the video was about me going through my memories… which went along with me looking back on my relationships in the song. Me and the director Riko wanted the video to be in contrast with the song though, so [it] was more focused on the good memories I’ve had — whether it’s family, friends, my Jamaican or Russian heritage — and I wanted for the whole aesthetic to be quite soft and colourful.”
Finally, I ask RADA what she hopes people will take from the song, and her answer is a simple one. “I try to be vulnerable in my music because I want people to relate to me as a fellow human,” she says. “I think this song is one of the most vulnerable yet so hopefully people can vibe to it.”
Watch the video for “Burn One” below, or stream it on Spotify here.