Masego is rolling out his third album Fix Your Face his way. After teasing the set over the past few weeks on social media and sharing world tour dates, he finally dropped the project’s lead single “Breathe,” and he’s got something to say.
“Breathe” is Masego at his most real and raw. That’s largely because the song is based on true events.
“‘Breathe’ is an actual real-life story about me trying to process a death in a family, but then having to go into a meeting, and then a studio session, and then travel, and then some other industry s**t,” Masego said in a press statement. “It made me want more consideration for the fact that the artist's job is not unionized, we don't have health care, and it's just like, ‘Hey, go do a bunch of whatever and we’ll make some money off it.’”
With that context, it’s clear why Masego is in a melancholy mood and singing the blues on “Breathe.” He’s going through it and simply needs time to sit down, be still and exhale. Over a mournful sound bed of percussion, bass, violin and his saxophone, Uncle Sego pleads, “Can I breathe? (Breathe) Can I live? (Live) / Can I grieve? (Grieve) Get a minute? (Min’),” on the chorus.
Unfortunately, like many of us, he doesn’t have the luxury to rest as he admits, “I just can’t stop, the world won’t stop / I just can’t stop, it’s just a plot.”
Director Cam Hicks expands on the song’s theme for the “Breathe” visual. Filmed in black-and-white, the video starts with Masego alone before he is joined by a group of Black men dressed alike in black slacks, white shirts and black ties. Sego, meanwhile, is sporting his fresh fade and a more muscular physique as he sings in a few different fits and locations.
Masego’s co-stars transform into a men’s choir when they join him to sing the chorus. The sight and sound of them singing the words “Breathe,” “Live” and “Grieve” with such passion and power is emblematic of the state of Black men in America.
- Advertisement -“Breathe” is a departure from Masego’s usual repertoire, but it’s some of his best, most meaningful work to date. Though he hasn’t shared any release information for his next album yet, Fix Your Face is shaping up rather nicely. Expect to hear this song and many more from Masego’s catalog on his Fix Your Face Tour starting in August.
