Who would have trouble loving Ansel Elgort? The 23-year-old is a real triple threat. He was just nominated for a Golden Globe for his work on Baby Driver, but he’s also got a killer voice and a mean talent for production. His 2017 Logic collaboration “Killing Spree” hit no. 48 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and now, he follows that performance with a solo work that’s as raw as it is steamy.
“Supernova” is the troubled tale of a man caught up in love with one who can’t love him back. Elgort is tormented on the track, waking up in cold sweats, his mind racing with regrets.
You get the picture, but in case you don’t, there’s a really cool music video to go along with it. Colin Tilley directed it, the Grammy-nominated mind behind Kendrick Lamar‘s “Alright” and more. He captured the wild, moving scene in a single shot. Elgort brings real anguish to his performance, and as it turns out, he made the song in about one take, too.
“With ‘Supernova’ I made something that I knew I’d want to hear,” Elgort says in an emailed statement. “For the first time with my music, it really feels like it’s really coming from me. I was able to let my subconscious take over and never second-guess any artistic impulse while writing. I wrote this song behind the mic in the booth in the same session Scott Storch and Angel Lopez laid down the production. We were able to vibe off each other while Scott, Angel and I continued to tweak the production during the singing and writing process. Mostly this song was done in one session.”
Elgort promises that there is a lot more music coming soon. He’s stoked to share his new sounds with the world. For now, get lost in the world of “Supernova” below.