Friday, June 21, 2024

Finally seeing the light of a 'Brand New Day'


It's been a long time coming but since the studio collaboration between BABYMETAL and Polyphia in 2019, the two bands have finally got to play 'live' at Fox_Fest this year -- and we get to audit the official footage.

'Brand New Day' is not one of their heavier songs, possibly putting focus on the strings played by guest guitarists, Tim Henson and Scott LePage from Polyphia, but also sets the tone for the content of the song that features a moment in time within a relationship that is very seldom addressed -- and more often overlooked -- in contemporary media. Of course, I'm only interpreting from the feels I get from the music and staging, and based on translated lyrics, so I could be way off base.

Anyway, here goes: Stage lighting alternates between a dark theme and an unusual pale gold one, and the sun motif keeps popping in and out on the cyclorama, or backdrop. We're in a pre-dawn state. It's difficult to fall asleep. A special someone is in our thoughts and we're thinking and perhaps half-dreaming of the good times we've had and hoping for more good times to come.

But we're in the earliest stages of our transitioning from friendship to maybe something more. Our emotions are a blend of anticipation for a blossoming new relationship, and anxiety that perhaps we may be reading more than what is actually there. So like the way the pale gold light never intensifies, our expectations are more logically rather than emotionally driven. The muted colours and the lighter beat echo this state of rationalizing this new life development in which we are not yet fully invested.

The stakes aren't very high. I'll go out with you if it's sunny, but I won't put myself out if it's rainy when I'd maybe prefer to curl up with a book. At this stage, if nothing develops, it's no big loss -- but I'm open to possibilities. There's not a lot of drama, conflict, or emotion here, so this stage tends to get glossed over in most other media portrayals of budding romances. But for me, I've been there, which is what makes this particular song feel extra special. It's the feeling of picking up a promising-looking present from under the Christmas tree, but not yet having read the tag to see who it's meant for. If your name's on it, great! But if not, you're happy to pass it on to whomever it's addressed to. There's nothing to be possessive about, and no regret letting go. I love that BABYMETAL has immortalized this often fleeting moment in this song.

'Brand New Day' is about uncertainty. We don't know what the new day will bring, but while we may anticipate and hope for good things, we won't create such high expectations that will disappoint us if things don't go our way. And there's still tomorrow to come. Just take things 'step-by-step' and see what happens. Even if I'm wrong about this song being about relationships, it's still a very healthy attitude towards life in general.

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