Wye Oak Announce New Album Tween, Share “Watching the Waiting” Video: Watch

Often we struggle when presented with our own images: hearing our recorded voices played back to us, or seeing a warped version of ourselves in a photo. For these reasons, appearing in our music videos has always been a challenge for me. My own self-consciousness about how I am being seen by others (and by myself, from outside of my body) manifests as a feedback loop of questions in my head—do I look too detached? not detached enough? will I seem confident? but not too confident? In short, no matter how much I try to part ways with the overstuffed ego that I know is responsible for these fears—I am human, and I care too much about how I appear to others. 

In spite of this, it felt important for us to appear as a part of this collection of images, because this song, Watching the Waiting, is probably one of the most image-conscious songs I’ve ever made. At the center of it is a long-standing struggle to see myself as I really am—not just physically, but also emotionally and psychologically. I’ve always been pretty good at reading people’s expectations of me, which is an easy route to being well-liked. But, somewhere along that path, I was lost to myself. This song is about learning how to understand and accept who I truly am, and present myself more honestly to the world, without any illusions or pretense. The truth is in the mirror, but it is also much, much deeper. 

O’Leary and Compton shared a statement about the video, too:

This song evoked themes of self-actualization, and creating an inner terrain that fosters a reflective and curious spirit about self and other.

The mirror-hair girl, inspired somewhat by the Sutherland sisters, and the concept of external-internal individuation and connection— first originated as a painting, and was brought to life to emulate the song’s momentum and drive. The creature explores worlds found through the front or back of her mirror-face. In the mirror, Jenn and Andy are both featured, as are differential terrains and landscapes, symbols and artistic imagery. 

The desert, woods, water and symbolism of earth, gold and hair all mirror psychic processes that require depth and transformation and knowledge of one’s own inner landscape.