Cloe Wilder just released the music video for her new track, “One Step Closer.” A sullen pop number about a devastated teenager trapped in an unhealthy relationship, the track cradles you in Wilder’s warm vocals, as the sweet melody and beats enrapture you in the energy of its melancholy.
“One Step Closer” is an emotional bombshell that allows us to take a breather and feel what’s going on around us with the hopes of honing in on the power of self and breaking away from those toxic relationships that often make us feel less than.
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In the video directed by directed by Jesse DeFlorio and executive produced by Jazmine Valencia of JV Agency, the couple may appear to be a loving pair to the outside world, but their distance and lack of interaction speaks otherwise. The male lead portrays a character that’s all about himself, while the female lead appears to be miserable and fully acknowledging that her relationship is no longer affectionate.
A stylized music video taking cues from the film Edward Scissorhands, Wilder shared, “the video was heavily influenced by Edward Scissorhands; the color palette and the feeling. Twisted suburbia all on film. It’s my favorite.”
The blend of Billie Eilish and Lorde in Wilder’s whisper-to-belt technique and her passionate, diary-like lyrics harken back to storytelling lyrics of Sharon Van Etten, Phoebe Bridgers and Angel Olsen. The song’s capacity to move people of all ages and elicit tears in response to its words is a testament to the enduring power of youthful heartbreak; whether you’re presently going through it, or its invoking bittersweet nostalgia.
At just 16 years of age, and creating sorrowful, dreamy music that has been compared to Marina and the Diamonds and Lana Del Rey — Cloe Wilder is a budding music artist. Her passion for music and songwriting was sparked when she was four years old and began taking piano lessons. When her debut album Teenage Lullabies was released in 2021, Wilder quickly gained a big following (2.5 million streams on DSPs and over 4.5 million total video views); cementing that she is only getting started.
Catch Cloe Wilder live in Los Angeles on July 9 at Junior High as part of Summer Nights Fest.
Visit Cloe Wilder’s website, Twitter, and Instagram to stay updated on new releases and tour announcements.
