Hurts returns with music video about violence against LGBT community
It is about seven years ago that Hurts first made an impression in the music industry when their debut album Happiness was launched. The British synth pop duo has three albums to their name these days and although their sound became more influenced by radiopop, their last record, Surrender released in 2015, did not really produce any hits. Their fan base around Europe is still big enough to sell their records though and their new single ‘Beautiful Ones’ definitely has potential to get them back into the spotlights. And if the song won’t do it, the video will definitely create some buzz around Theo Hutchcraft and Adam Anderson.

‘Beautiful Ones’ sounds like a typical bombastic Hurts synth pop tune, with some subtle hints of the current tropical house trend. The soaring chorus shines with Theo’s larger than life vocals and an arena rock vibe. “Don’t think twice, give yourself to another night. Hold on tight, hope that you make it out alive. We are the beautiful ones!”, Hutchcraft sings on the top of his lungs.

The video for the song has already made some headlines as it quite graphically shines a light on violence against the LGBT community. The video starts with a half naked, beaten up Theo who just hit three men with his car. The whole story is told in reverse and it turns out that Theo was out that night dressed up as a drag queen, going to a party where he turned down the man that eventually beats him up in the streets. The video is daring, honest and all too realistic and important in this day and age. The freedom and happiness shown in the club scenes gain a lot of meaning, knowing how the night ends. This is excellent story telling, thanks to excellent acting and powerful editing. It is a brave move by the band to release such vulnerable and graphic visuals with their comeback single, but if you ask me it already is one of the best and most relevant music videos of the year.