The British band returned just in time to drop a single protesting Trump’s inauguration. Gorillaz broke their musical silence on January the 19th to drop a new single with a video. The band took the world by surprise after 6 years of musical silence to serve as commentary in the historical moment.
The band released the video “Hallelujah Money” the day before Trump’s inauguration, right on time to spread the song’s message. The releasement of the single was made via Twitter, and it already has over four million views.
Trump’s new song: Hallelujah Money.
The video directed by Gorillaz and Giorgio Testi shows British artist Benjamin Clementine performing from the Trump Tower. As Clementine continues reciting the words, visuals broadcast in a screen showing La Candelaria Brotherhood, cartoons and killer clowns. Damon Albarn’s voice also makes it part of the background of the sound reaching the climax in the chorus.
Gorillaz comes back with a dystopian poem.
The song is a meditation on humanity, power, and business. Benjamin Clementine gives a theatrical touch to the song with his powerful voice and the even more powerful words. Damon Albarn’s voice gives the feels while signing “How will we know when the morning comes, we’re still humans, how will we love, how will we dream, how will we know?” Then Clementine adds a reflection about the state of power in the world that completes the dystopian poem.
The video shows Clementine holding a book in front of a screen broadcasting clips that include cartoons, dancers, killer crowns and La Candelaria Brotherhood. At the final part, Clementine keeps signing while a blue background with white stars and a red bell takes over the screen, and you get to see Sponge Bob freaking out and running.
Trump, this song is for you.
According to Uproxx who premiered the video, the band decided to released the song at this specific moment, Trump’s inauguration eve, to serve as commentary in the historical moment. The band makes a reference to these as dark times, and to the song as a light of truth in a black night.
The lyrics specifically reference Trump’s politics “When we go to bed Scare crows from the Far a-East / Come to eat its tender fruits / I have thought that the / Best way to protect our tree / Is by building walls.”
What a comeback!
The British virtual band was created in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. The four members of the band 2D, Murdoc Nicalls, Noodle and Russel Hobbs are fictional. The band’s videos and website allow fans to explore their fictional universe.
Gorillaz has been out of the musical scene for six years now. The band’s last album was released on 2011. Recently, they updated their social media, having a more active movement which is related to the fact that the band’s working on their fifth album. The group expects to release the album later this year and has confirmed that “Hallelujah Money” is not the primary single of the upcoming album.