Whilst 20-year-old Máni Orrason has flown largely under the radar, the Icelandic singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist is hoping to make a mark with new song, “Picture I Recall”. It’s a synth-filled darkroom pop track that questions the notions of identity and the path to discovering one’s ‘true self’.
“Picture I Recall” is the first release of a series of projects that will together form Máni’s six-track EP, due for release next spring.
“One of the few people I feel like I’m able to be completely open and comfortable with is my partner,” Máni tells us. “With them, I feel like I can take off the mask, break the facade, feel a little closer to whatever my ‘true self’ is. I wanted the song and video to reflect the intimacy of our relationship and the beauty of vulnerability. In “Picture I Recall”, I’m really just asking if you can be seen the same way by a complete stranger and by the person you love the most.”
Máni’s partner, Adrien, doesn’t just play a central role in the song’s inspiration, but in the video and forthcoming EP too. As the pair “didn’t have much of a budget” for the music video, Máni gives us the scoop on how it was pulled together. Apparently, they bought “a bunch of nice clothes, hid the tags, shot the video and returned them on the Monday after.”
“Shooting the video was a really great process,” Máni elaborates. “We wanted to translate and visualize the main themes of the song in a very stylized way. Working with the masks, the flowers, the light and all the elements that added to the world of the music was really exciting.”
So far, Máni has been overwhelmed with the response to the new track, writing on Instagram: “The reception for Picture I Recall has been so wonderful.” We can’t wait for the EP. Watch this space.