Growing up as a kid in the 90s, where a large block of off-white plastic, metal and glass known as a PC was the heigh of technology, one could never have predicted the swirling mess of social media, online advertising, data mining and crypto currency that we’d be in today. It’s a lot to take in for even the most stable and woke of minds, but for those with little understanding of the great power held by those self-made “influencers”, it’s all too easy to be convinced that the photo-stopped, glamorous lifestyle portrayed in a digital square could be a true reflection of reality.

One artist who is using his platform to warn against the dark side of online influencing is WEIRDO, the British songwriter, producer and creative visionary whose alternative pop shows a very different side of what we now consider to be an everyday part of life.

“Fakin’ is a song I wrote about the world we live in, the people that surround us and the complexities of the modern age. I spent way too much time with and around materialistic people who were indenial of it and once I spent some time alone in thinking mode, I realised that honesty seems a thing of the past for many people nowadays…”

The accompanying music video to the track is a stunning depiction of modern-day social issues by film director Lubos Rezler and DOP Filip Marek. The main character shows someone who builds his life on materialism and social status, yet behind closed doors is broken, hollow and empty. 

As director Lubos Rezler explains: 
“This short story portrays a dark side of an online influencer. He desires a lot of attention from his followers and people around him. Surrounded by luxury and armored with a bold image, he carefully builds his own fake kingdom full of digital dreams. However as it turns out, being the most popular person isn’t always the best outcome.“

Follow WEIRDO here.

Artist credit: John Biggs