Lewin, the musical project of singer-songwriter Jara Holdert, has unveiled a new single titled ‘Follow You’. A modern reimagining of the ancient greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, the beautifully-rendered track finds her putting herself in Oprheus’ position, poised to do anything to earn his love back from the land of the dead – even, as Lewin poignantly declares, bribing the boatsman with a bag of tears. “Take the subway out of town/ Find the place they took you down,” Lewin sings, recontextualizing the story while staying true to its timeless sentiments. But there are more layers behind what at first appears to be a tale of blind infatuation, as Orpheus must also trust that his love won’t be betrayed, that Eurydice will in fact follow him back. Musically, too, Lewin takes her sound in a more experimental direction, the song’s unconventional time signature mirroring Orpheus’ labyrinthine journey, while the inclusion of a chorus of voices is a fitting nod to ancient greek theater.
Explaining Lewin’s interpretation of the classic myth, a press release states: “When Orpheus travels down to the underworld to ask for his lover Eurydice back, its ruler Hades gives his permission, on the condition that Orpheus will not look over his shoulder to check if Eurydice is following him back up to the world of the living. This moment is about trust – and Lewin’s retelling of the old myth casts her in the shoes of the ancient bard Orpheus. In her version, a similar scenario plays out: The ‘shadow king’ says she’ll get him back. She just has to trust that he’s right behind her – but is he? Will he follow her up, just like she has followed him down there?”
‘Follow You’ is taken from Lewin’s upcoming album, For The Leaving and The Left Behind, which is set for release in September of 2020. Check out our Artist Spotlight interview with Lewin here.
