Ever had a night out backfire on you? John Splithoff knows exactly what that’s like, at least judging by his new music video.
The singer-songwriter, who signed with East West Records in late 2017, released his song “Proud” on Friday (Sept. 20), and Billboard premieres the hilarious video for the all-too-relatable track. The four-minute clip starts out with Splithoff at his office, where his raging angry girlfriend storms in to scold him about the night before. But as the second verse kicks in, the tables turn, and John is the one freaking out.
Even with both Splithoff and his girlfriend (played by Skye Stracke) acting out due to jealousy, they eventually forgive each other — all thanks to the way “Proud” addresses those faults: “I know we done some things that we ain’t proud of, baby/ But that don’t mean that I don’t love you now, baby/ I know how to go too far/ You know how to break my heart/ I know we done some things that we ain’t proud of, can we forget about it?,” Splithoff sings on the chorus.
“‘Proud’ was created from a personal realization,” Splithoff says in a statement about the song’s relatability. “I’ve found that when people act selfishly in their relationships, being honest with the person you care about ultimately shows respect and ownership of being human — which is inherently imperfect. This song was written when I was feeling immersed in this sort of situation, where my flaws and insecurities were magnified. The lyrics tell this story using everyday conversation — that back and forth dynamic that we can all relate to.”
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Though Splithoff’s revelation is rather deep, he decided to put a lighthearted spin on “Proud” with its video, which was directed by Norris Guncheon and Christopher Fox, and is the singer’s first-ever music video. Splithoff co-wrote the airy track with his (and Shawn Mendes’) frequent collaborator Scott Harris, and produced it with Aalias, who also produced his 2017 single “Show Me.”
With so many talented people involved in the track and its visual, there’s only one way Splithoff could describe his experience: “I’m extremely proud.”
Splithoff is in the middle of a headlining tour, which kicked off in Fairfield, Conn., on Sept. 17 and will hit his native Chicago, Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh and Brooklyn through Oct. 3. Check out tour dates here, and watch the “Proud” video below.