Featured Photo Credit: Jimmy Fontaine
On September 2, Alex Warren released his poignant and compelling track, “Headlights,” marking his debut with Atlantic Records. The song had earned 74 million TikTok views before its release, and with its moving lyrics and explosive sound, “Headlights” lives up to the anticipation.
Driven by simple acoustic guitar, steady bass, and muddled harmonies, “Headlights” is a spot-on sonic representation of the anxiety the song represents. During the track’s chorus, Warren sings “screaming at the top of your lungs” with loud harmonies layered under his raspy voice, heightening the power and intensity of the screaming sensation. This emotional edge is augmented by honest lyrics like “These days it’s so dark that I can’t see with headlights.” The song blends lyrical vulnerability with instrumental strength, making it an extremely cathartic listen.
Warren released an official music video to correspond with the track, telling his life story of homelessness and sleeping in friends’ cars. In the music video, he is seen shoplifting from a convenience store, sitting with a group of smoking friends, and standing on a hill overlooking the city, screaming the lyrics to the song. He uses headlights to his advantage, using fog to enhance their piercing yellow glow while he sings. The video is filled with tragedy and candor while conveying visual beauty.
When asked about the single, Warren mentioned that, “Releasing art that relates to people who share that struggle with anxiety and mental health issues, a struggle that can feel lonely and confusing, feels really powerful and beautiful to me.” “Headlights” is moving and emotional, and it serves as a powerful reminder that no one is alone in their struggles.
Warren’s self-produced docuseries, “I Hope You’re Proud” is available on YouTube. He has also begun a podcast, “Locked In with Alex Warren”, while he works on new music.