TIBERIUS B
– Shares new video “No Smoke”
After releasing her debut single at the end of last year, Tiberius b, the musical moniker and new project of Canadian singer-songwriter Francesca Belcourt, is sharing their new video for “No Smoke”.
For the video, Tiberius b contacted their friends and asked them to film themselves while the “No Smoke” track was playing. Expanding on this further, Tiberius b said “It started out as an idea that drew on my adolescent memories of creating faux music videos on friends’ laptops. There is a beauty in that the song speaks to feeling utterly alone, thus the unification of all my friends echoing the words separately together was healing for me to behold.
Editing the footage was an intense process. Before asking for my friends participation, I didn’t foresee what it would actually be like to go through every individual video. The vulnerability of witnessing someone’s entire take was extremely moving and at times uncomfortably intimate. Many expressed to me that they could not watch their own videos back, or were concerned that there wouldn’t be anything useful in their video — however in my experience it was challenging to pick everyone’s best bits because they were abundant in beauty.
Despite the confidence and courage that is shown by each performer, there is a sense of insecurity that flashes from moment to moment which can become unsettling. This is reminiscent of feelings of anxiety and pressure I feel as someone who must exhibit portions of my spirit online as part of my career.”
Maya-Roisin, one of the participants said “I guess overall the whole thing is like something silly you’d shoot on your laptop when you’re in a weird mood, these really vulnerable moments of self indulgence, but broadcast out into the world, and made less embarrassing by the fact that they’re presented in numbers, thus turning these weird narcissistic selfie moments into a cohesive piece of art.”
In a world full of love songs single “No Smoke“ is a ballad for all those who struggle to accept the love that comes their way. Sitting on the axis of self-help and self-destruction the track borrows its sense of faithful contemplation from a nostalgia-laden guitar hook. This approach is a mainstay of Tiberius b’s aesthetic, which combines musical throwbacks with sharp and passionately honest lyrics. In “No Smoke“, listeners are pulled into a harrowing but relatable moment of reflection, where doubts and mistrust risk eclipsing the good. Despite this uncertainty, the song remains bittersweet, portraying both an ardent cynicism and wistful optimism.
Having toured across North America as one half of the dream-pop duo Mu sharing stages with artists like Billie Eilish and Jenny Hval, Tiberius b was conceived after moving back to their birthplace of London, England. Given this move, it was only fitting they also reclaim the nickname their parents gave in utero, Tiberius.
No Comments