Charlie Belle, the duo of siblings Jendayi and Gyasi Bonds, have unveiled a new single titled “What Is This.” The smooth neo-soul track features shuffling programmed percussion and atmospheric synths that provide the perfect backdrop for Jendayi’s vocals. During the chorus, Gyasi lends a voice to round out the harmonies, offering a rich and textured performance. “‘What Is This’ is a song about anxiety, the things that keep you up at night, and the guilt you have over feelings you can't control,” the duo says.
The track comes paired with a visual which, according to the siblings, aims to “[capture] the beauty that is Blackness, queerness, and the intersection of the two. I always say things like ‘I love Insecure, but I wish it were queer!,’ and ‘I love Broad City, but I wish it were Black!,’ because I deeply crave representation.”
“This music video is a love letter to Brooklyn and the queer community that we’re proud to be a part of here,” adds Solis Films’ Madeleine Richardson, who directed the visual. “The club scene is all Brooklynite friends filmed at the queer-owned venue C’mon Everybody in Bed-Stuy. We feature the ‘Dank Dykes,’ which is a Brooklyn-based, lesbian-owned cannabis brand, and the street scenes were shot in Cobble Hill. Our black and white shots are an ode to iconic Brooklyn filmmaker, Spike Lee.”
Check out the cinematic visual below, and stream “What Is This” here.
