WATCH: Best Ex Tells Her Haters She’s Not Listening Anymore With “Feed The Sharks”
WATCH: Best Ex Tells Her Haters She’s Not Listening Anymore With “Feed The Sharks”
“Feed The Sharks” is from her 2020 EP, ‘Good At Feeling Bad.’
Words By: Bre Offenberger
Best Ex — better known under their former name Candy Hearts — has released a cathartic music video for their track “Feed The Sharks.” After enduring a rocky relationship with social media — which is putting it lightly — frontwoman Mariel Loveland has released all her pent-up feelings via song, telling everyone who’s verbally attacked her that she’s not going to let their words bother her anymore.
After watching people talk about a tour manager, whom she was previously in an abusive relationship with, Loveland addressed everything online — unintentionally adding fuel to the fire. As she watched it spiral out of control, she knew she had to do something more effective, so she did what she does best: write a song. Behind minimal production, containing mostly glimmering synths, Loveland confronts the trolls again, letting them know they may have stolen her life for a while — but she’s not going to let it happen anymore.
The video opens in black-and-white with Loveland, who looks frustrated and distraught, holding her continuously buzzing phone. As she stares deep into the camera, the names that she’s been called online — “crazy,” “vile” and “liar,” among others — appear, drawn all over her body. Exhausted, she decides to submerge herself in a bathtub and literally feed the haters because she knows they’ll get tired and move on eventually. She continues to lament in her bedroom before she goes outside to the roof, with color beaming, and a smile finally forms. At the end as Loveland’s phone goes off for the final time, she chooses to ignore it — reclaiming her control over the situation and her sense of peace.
Of the song, Loveland shares: “There’s this Wizard of Oz moment when I step outside and realize the whole world is actually beautiful as long as you choose to go out and experience that beauty. I think that’s something important I often forget: the internet makes the world seem like a terrible place, especially during a pandemic when we can’t go outside and it’s like our lifeline, but it’s lying to us.”
Good At Being Bad is only the sophomore project from the rebranded Best Ex. Every track from the band since changing monikers has been pure catharsis from Loveland, as she lets go of all the terrible things she’s endured and welcomes in good vibes only. Any fan of Candy Hearts and true-to-life indie is sure to love Loveland’s new work. 2021 may just be the best thing to ever happen for Best Ex.
