Sharon Van Etten knows that it’s hard to be yourself these days. When everyone relishes irony, what happens to authenticity? As the line between the two gets blurred, it inevitably gets harder to admit your true feelings about something, for fear of being on the wrong side. But Van Etten’s video for “Every Time the Sun Comes Up” is all about embracing this vulnerability and laying it bare.
This track comes off Van Etten’s fourth album, Are We There, which she co-produced with legendary producer Stewart Lerman. The video matches the melancholy tone of the song, following an over-the-hill Dracula impersonator as he prepares to host a TV show. Despite being completely ignored by the hip, attractive young people who work behind the scenes as he enters the studio, he continues to commit to his character with devotion and joy. Maybe the hipsters find the irony of running a cheesy horror TV show hilarious, but for this no-name actor this show is his livelihood, and he takes it seriously.
Like with most of her tracks, Sharon Van Etten keeps her lyrics on this one completely open and honest. She lays out her doubts and confessions, with lines like: “People say I’m a one-hit wonder/But what happens when you have two?” and “I washed your dishes/But I shit in your bathroom.” This video is a testament to putting yourself out there in a time where doing so is not an easy task, with the title reminding us that every new day can threaten to break us down again. But Van Etten’s heartfelt vocals and honest lyrics show us how worthwhile and therapeutic authenticity can be if you’re willing to take the risk. Get your Dracula on below.
Are We There is out on on Jagjaguwar on 5/27.