Life’s an endless rollercoaster, a constant dance of highs and lows we can’t escape, no matter how hard we try. But how we navigate those dips and climbs is entirely up to us. Some choose to wallow in the depths of their emotions, to freeze them in time, or maybe even transform them into something new. This is the path the talented young artist, Flower Face, has also embarked on. Flower Face is the brainchild of Montreal-based goth-folk artist Ruby McKinnon, who delves deep into the aftermath of a devastating love affair.
You ever feel like a part of you just vanished? Like someone wrenched out a piece of your soul, and left a gaping hole where your future with that person used to be? That’s what heartbreak feels like. It’s more than just sadness, it’s a deep, raw loss. It’s like the death of a dream, the future you envisioned with someone just evaporating. It’s no wonder people compare it to death – you’re grieving the end of something precious, something that felt vital to your happiness. But in her new song, “Valentine,” Flower Face takes that raw, gut-wrenching pain and crafts it into a beautiful, melancholic, hopeful musical journey. “It’s the one where I sort of rip my heart out of my chest and present it to the world on a plate, weak and bleeding and bare,” says Ruby. The lyrics are a raw reflection of the pain, a reminder of the universal struggle of love and loss.
The accompanying “Valentine” video is part of a larger visual narrative. “This is the next in a series of videos that all exist within the same visual universe, each one its own dreamscape in a kind of strange liminal space, each representing a moment/phase of heartbreak,” she explains.
And the single is also just a taste of what’s to come on Flower Face’s upcoming album, Girl Prometheus. This raw and beautiful project delves into the complexities of grief, ultimately celebrating resilience and rebirth.
“This year I’ve been writing in a way that feels transcendent,” she says. “It sounds cliché, but it’s almost like finding religion. For the first time, I dove headfirst into creation and let everything else go. It’s been like constant revelations, overwhelming but beautiful. It’s become less of an ephemeral thing that just seems to happen to me sometimes and more of a tool for survival. I’ve realized that to me, my writing is paramount—it’s the only thing that matters. As long as I have that, I’m okay,” she says.
Watch the official music video for “Valentine” here:
Video produced by Boy Wonder. Directed by Boy Wonder and Ruby Mckinnon. Edited by Ruby Mckinnon. 1st AC: Adam Stewart Swing: Jeff King Production Assistant: Ryan Brough Location Manager: Jeff King Shot on 16mm film, developed and scanned by Mel’s.
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