Earlier this month, Jessie Reyez dropped her empowering new song “Body Count.” The Babyface and The Rascals produced song addresses the hypocrisy of how men and women are judged differently about the number of people they’ve had sex with.
Today (May 18), she shares the official music video directed by Peter Huang. In the cinematic visual, Jessie finding herself taking on her critics, but in a setting you wouldn’t expect.
“The video is inspired by the Salem witch trials,” Jessie explains. “A bookmark in history for one of the many times women were persecuted. Sometimes for allegations of magic but often for low key sexual promiscuity or sexual selectiveness. In short, you’re going to get judged anyway, so as long as you’re not hurting anyone and loving yourself, might as well do whatever you want. Whether that’s being celibate or being sexually free is your choice. Your body count is nobody’s business but your own.”
As she is being dragged to a stake in front of village members she sings, “We don’t need no one tryna take our freedom / Time won’t let you stay young / So, we don’t care what they say / We gon’ love who we wanna love.”
This coming July, Jessie will support Halsey as the opening act on her North American tour. She also has a full festival schedule this spring and summer, starting with Flyover Festival tomorrow (May 5) in Kansas followed by sets at Bonnaroo Music Festival, BergenFest, Magnifique Society Festival, Common Ground Festival, Ottawa Blues Fest, Lollapalooza, and Outside Lands.
