19 year-old breakout alt-pop artist Au/Ra has released her brand new single ‘plz don’t waste my youth’ today. Watch the video now below.
Au/Ra’s previous big moments have possessed an enticing immediacy which has taken them to international audiences, but ‘plz don’t waste my youth’ puts a laser-sharp focus on her pop prowess. With alluring melodies, a pulsating beat and a vocal that commands attention, ‘plz don’t waste my youth’ is primed to propel Au/Ra to a new wave of discovery.
Thematically the song continues Au/Ra’s creative urge to share the emotions and details of her own life experiences. From the outside, it would appear that Au/Ra has the perfect life, but ‘plz don’t waste my youth’ charts some of the industry challenges that are hidden from public view: the challenges, the expectations, the intensity.
Au/Ra says, “‘plz don’t waste my youth’ is about how young people kinda grow-up so quickly in today’s society. I think seeing everyone’s highlight reel on social media has raised expectations on us. When you turn 18, you’re supposed to have figured out what you want from life, but that’s not how it works. Personally, I sometimes felt I wasn’t getting to enjoy the time I had as a teenager, because I was plagued with the worry of being successful enough and having it all figured out. It’s not always easy to cope with, especially when you’re already an anxious person. I just really wanted to express how difficult it can feel for young people and society’s expectations of them and yell about it.”
Au/Ra wrote ‘plz don’t waste my youth’ with CJ Baran (Carly Rae Jepson, Melanie Martinez), who also produced and mixed the track.
‘plz don’t waste my youth’ is released alongside its official video. It depicts Au/Ra and her group of friends enjoying exploring the streets of London together as they share a care-free moment just like many other people of their age. The video’s grainy filter provides a nostalgic feel for a time in her life which is far from being over.