Jay Som has dropped the video for ‘Past Lives’, her collab with Paramore’s Hayley Williams, ahead of her Pitchfork Festival London set this Saturday (8th November).
The track, lifted from her first album in over six years, Belong, has become an early fan favourite, a slow-burn indie gem. The new animated clip, directed by Daniel Topete, brings the song’s sense of spiralling reflection to life in vivid colour.
Released earlier this year on Lucky Number, Belong marks a confident return for Jay Som after a long break from her solo work. Since 2019’s Anak Ko, Duterte has quietly built one of the most impressive résumés in indie music, working as a producer and engineer on projects for boygenius, Lucy Dacus, Troye Sivan and Beabadoobee. She even joined Boygenius on tour, adding her own guitar and vocal flourishes to their live shows.
Now, with Belong, she’s back in the spotlight. Critics have been quick to praise the record. The Observer called it “a reminder of why she’s one of the most quietly brilliant artists around,” while DIY described it as “assured, emotionally rich and full of depth.” The Guardian singled out Past Lives as “the perfect soundtrack to getting introspective as the dark nights draw in.”
Speaking about the project, Duterte said Belong is about “trying to find where I fit after stepping away for a while.” Across its 11 tracks, she does exactly that.
Jay Som is currently midway through her European tour, which includes shows in Berlin, Paris and Brussels before hitting London’s EartH Theatre for Pitchfork Festival. She’ll then take Belong back to the States for a run of North American dates through December.
