Nyxx is a woman who has set out to make her own mark in the music industry. She doesn’t feel the need to conform to what is “acceptable” or “appropriate” for a female. Instead, like many of her predecessors, she continues to push the boundaries in music.
Her latest single “Voodoo” was released on January 5, 2018. Only ten days later, she premiered her new video on YouTube. “Voodoo” was co-written and produced by Daniel Graves of Aesthetic Perfection.
This is not the first time the two have worked together, and hopefully, it won’t be the last. The dichotomy between Nyxx and Grave’s vocal stylings meld well together to create a truly unique sound and duet.
The lyrics to “Voodoo” conjure up the age-old idea that women who choose not to follow the norms of society are seen as evil temptress of the dark arts. Being with Daniel Graves electronically change voice repeating, “That girl is psycho,” the listener can feel the tension between the two singers and the fervor with which this young woman is seen as a threat. Graves even goes as far as to accuse Nyxx of “Driving pious men down the road of perversion.” The chorus repeats “I’m psycho/Voodoo/That’s what they say about me/I’ve got you/Under my spell/I’m psycho/Voodoo/That’s what they say about me.” The lyrics reinforce the idea that Nyxx is representative of every rebellious woman. In soft tones, she says, “Would like to see me burn?” harkening back to the days of women being burned as witches because of their individuality.
The video itself then continues to play upon the theme of an insubordinate woman being chastised for refusing to conform to societal norms. Throughout the video, Nyxx is seen in all black in the wild, helping to push further into the idea that non-traditional women are agents of the dark. Graves appears in the video as, what he calls, a police officer hunting her down. The obsession with which Graves appears to chase Nyxx is representative of how far some will go to demonize the unorthodox woman. During the video, Nyxx is often seen with a woman wearing a hangman’s hood and sporting blood on her hands. The intimate way in which Nyxx interacts with the hooded figure shows the “ritualistic killing” of her “good self” in order to embrace who she truly is and wants to be. Meanwhile, Graves is seen digging through the dirt, sifting through piles of papers, and analyzing evidence to show his pursuit of finding and stopping this recalcitrant Nyxx.
Perhaps it is my ever analyzing, literature based brain, but the video actually rang closer to a condensed version of The Scarlet Letter. To me, the video appeared to be Nyxx as Hester Prynne and Graves as Roger Chillingworth. Like Hester Prynne, Nyxx appears to be embracing her “guilt/Scarlett Letter” while being hounded and tormented by her former partner Graves/Chillingworth. Instead of conforming to what society expects, viewers see Nyxx embracing her own uniqueness much to Graves dismay.
I don’t know. I tend to read more into things than I need to. Either way, the new Nyxx single is DEFINITELY worth checking out.
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