Sharon Van Etten unveils Used To It, her second single/video release of 2022, following the powerful Porta.
While Porta was rousing and percussive, “a steely exorcism of her anxieties” (Pitchfork), Used To It unfurls with a ricocheting beat and murky synth, elevating Van Etten’s smokey intonation.
Van Etten originally wrote this song when asked to help create a score for Baby God, an HBO documentary about a fertility specialist who takes it upon himself to impregnate women with his own sperm.
“Ultimately, the film team changed their musical direction, but I found myself welcomely challenged to the idea of writing a song about the concept of family, connection through blood, nature vs. nurture, while attempting to incorporate ideas of love and the complexities of science and technology,” explains Van Etten.
“I am grateful for this song to be able to have a new life, relating more to the times we have all been living through and redefining the meaning of this song by focusing on the positives of seeking connection and understanding what family means to the individual.”
The accompanying video was created by Van Etten’s musical director and bandmate Charley Damski, and features the dancer and choreographer Hayden J Frederick.
“Together, they helped me convey the feelings of internal struggles, while also finding space for oneself and embracing that pain in order to move on.”
Used To It is out now.
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