Nightmares in daylight
Flashes of pain
The past in my brain
The future is unclear
Alternative pop artist Jenn Vix roars back with a haunting anthem for the times: “PTSD”. The inner world of PTSD is fraught with a unique turmoil brought upon by intense trauma. With her exploration of the subject through her latest single, Vix offers an honest and vulnerable take on her personal experiences with this often misunderstood diagnosis and life with this disorder. The resulting song is an aural catharsis, from which Vix utilizes the power of her singular voice over rhythmic drums and post-punk guitars, to guide us through a dynamic array of raw emotion.
Aiding her on the therapeutic journey through song, Vix worked with Grammy-nominated mastering engineer Chris Gehringer (Lady Gaga, St. Vincent).
“This new track was primarily written about my experience of being diagnosed with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and what it is like to live with it,” says Vix. “I’ve survived sexual abuse, homelessness, domestic violence, attempted homicide, and two near fatal illnesses. Though I’ve written about what I’ve gone through, this song is for everyone who has experienced or is experiencing trauma. I deeply empathize with anyone dealing with it.”
Her empathy is evident in this pleading dirge about the intensity of living life on the hamster wheel of reliving events, but it extends to the collective as well. “During this pandemic, so many people have experienced intense heartbreak, loss, and other deeply traumatic experiences. I lost two of my friends, and I know many who have lost loved ones, friends, family members, co-workers, and people they saw in their daily lives; before the lockdowns happened.”
The video is simple, direct, and haunting, with Vix performing directly into the camera on an abandoned loading dock on a dark waterfront. It’s the perfect visual metaphor for feeling stranded, alone, and inaccessible. Her anguish comes through in her expressive, deep voice, similar to the rich contralto of Annie Lennox.
Watch the video for “PTSD” below:
Apart from “PTSD”, Vix notes that there is help for people undergoing various forms of psychological distress, noting, “I’ve placed links to resources for help; both national and international, under the official music video. I’ve received a lot of help over the years from NAMI, so I’ve also placed a link to their official donation site. I donate to them and I encourage anyone in the US who can donate to them, please help. It is tax-deductible, and every donation counts. Thank you.”
PTSD is online everywhere. Proceeds will be donated to NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), who provide critical mental health resources and support to millions of people across the USA.
Getting her musical start in Providence, RI, she also cut her teeth in NYC in her teens, crossing paths with the likes of Iggy Pop, her first experience as a vocalist being with 1980s one-off band Disco Donut (with Adam Horovitz of The Beastie Boys and singer-songwriter Nicole Willis). A decade later, Vix broke out on the national scene.
As an indication of her ever-evolving approach to her craft, in recent years, Vix has been performing both as a solo artist and also as a drummer (on an electronic drum kit) and vocalist, in Boston-based post-punk/electronic rock duo Feeney Vix.
Over the years, Jenn Vix has collaborated with Reeves Gabrels (The Cure, David Bowie, Tin Machine), John Ashton (Psychedelic Furs), Andy Anderson (The Cure, Iggy Pop, Hawkwind), Danny Chavis (The Veldt), Marco Pirroni (Adam Ant, Rema Rema, The Models, Sinead O’Connor), Dirk Ivens (Absolute Body Control, The Klinik and Dive), and Rodney Anonymous (The Dead Milkmen).
Below are some select tracks from some of these collaborations:
With John Ashton
With Reeves Gabrels
With Andy Anderson
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