Words By: Bre Offenberger

Alt-pop rising star Rouxx has released the video for his latest single, “Hit Harder.” The video is a trippy glance inside his inner struggles, his frustration with himself and how all that impacts the way he views his surrounding world.

Synths that are soaked in despair open the track, letting listeners know right away this track is not for the faint of heart. Rouxx acknowledges that he knows his friends think he’s been a bit callous recently, but that’s because he’s struggling so immensely due to his demons wholly infiltrating his brain. He doesn’t even know what he’s doing anymore, and he yearns to be secluded somewhere, left alone to unravel his knotty thoughts and repair them. In the bridge, trap-like drums emerge over his subtle admissions that he’s not doing well. It ends with no sign of hope for Rouxx, a devastating reality for most people who feel this way.

The video opens with Rouxx in what looks like a newsroom, with gobs of newspapers completely covering the walls. Donning a red jumpsuit, he starts moving around the room, all the while trippy flashes of him appear, sending color swirling. He openly showcases his frustration, knocking himself for the way he’s feeling, even though he can’t control any of it. A burning flower appears, and he starts pulling off its petals one by one before some of the cameras are set ablaze. In line with the beat drop, newspapers fall from the ceiling, and Rouxx joins them. At the end, he lies on top of the burning camera, finally feeling free.

Of the video, Rouxx shares: “In this video I wanted to express the anxiety, stress, and doubt of the state of the world this past year by showing all of the newspapers and headlines as well as illustrating the desperation of my current life and personal experience. The fire at the end signifies letting of all the fear and stress from this past year, accepting it all for what is has been, and moving forward. Like most people, I’ve been through a lot this past year and felt this was a necessary song for me to write.”

The track blatantly takes inspiration from alternative bigwigs Blackbear, Mod Sun and Machine Gun Kelly. As you wait on the edge of your seat for more infectious and relatable hits from Rouxx, keep streaming “Hit Harder,” and help him achieve the acclaim he immensely deserves.