Badflower drop vulnerable single and video for “Don’t Hate Me” —watch
Badflower have released “Don’t Hate Me,” a new single and video ahead of their forthcoming album, THIS IS HOW THE WORLD ENDS, due Sept. 24. The song dropped just ahead of the announcement that the group would appear on the cover of Alternative Press’ Issue 397. Read more: Badflower and blackbear defy musical expectations in […]
Badflower have released “Don’t Hate Me,” a new single and video ahead of their forthcoming album, THIS IS HOW THE WORLD ENDS, due Sept. 24. The song dropped just ahead of the announcement that the group would appear on the cover of Alternative Press’ Issue 397.
The video for “Don’t Hate Me” features the band sporting a variety of looks. As vulnerable, confessional lyrics reiterate cries for amnesty, the band appear in various costumes, ranging from eyeliner emoto pop rockers. The video seems to reflect the sentiment of the lyrics, such as “This never-ending obsession to kill our own reflection/Depression makes no exceptions except the rich and sexy.”
Lead singer Josh Katz says the track highlights the human condition of trying to be someone else.
“It’s a lot of self-awareness,” Katz says. “On the bridge, there’s a meta dialogue where I explain how I’ve changed my entire life and appearance to make somebody else like me more. I think I have experienced versions of trying to be something else for someone else throughout my life. I think everybody has.”
“Don’t Hate Me” is the second song off the group’s forthcoming album after “Family.” Similar to the new single, “Family” uses transparency and vulnerability as the driving force for the track. In an interview with AltPress, Katz said being vulnerable is part of the writing process.
“Being vulnerable in music is what I’ve always done, and that space is typically where [I] feel the most comfortable,” he says. “It’s being vulnerable outside of music that feels impossible to me.”
In addition to releasing the new single and scheduled album, Badflower are also set to go on tour, beginning with the Illinois State Fair. You can get tickets to the tour on their website and find dates below.
What do you think of “Don’t Hate Me”? Listen to the confessional track below, and let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Badflower “Don’t Hate Me” lyrics:
Don’t hate me, don’t hate me Don’t hate me more than I hate myself Don’t hate me, I’m sad enough
I lost my mind today I checked up on the guys you date It’s no wonder I’m insecure
She’s in my, my head again So I called her checking in No answer and now I’m on my way to say the same old shit
Don’t hate me, don’t hate me Don’t hate me more than I hate myself Don’t let me destroy me Don’t hurt me more than I hurt myself Just scold me, console me Control me, oh I could use some help But don’t hate me, I’m sad enough
I changed my face again I just want you to let me in Am I more than just a friend?
It’s not grandeur, I’m off my meds I’m no danger, so call the feds I’m no stalker, I just ignore restraining orders all the time
I heard you started dating that singer from that emo band What if my band was more like their band? Would you hate me then? I got all the tattoos and piercings, same as him, there’s nothing missing I even dyed my hair and learned to scream I sound just like him, listen
This never-ending obsession to kill our own reflection Depression makes no exceptions except the rich and sexy My delusion is better than facing the truth about me I can see that you’re angry but don’t hate me
Don’t hate me, don’t hate me Don’t hate me more than I hate myself Don’t let me, destroy me Don’t hurt me more than I hurt myself Just scold me, console me Control me, oh I could use some help But don’t hate me (don’t hate me)
Badflower tour dates:
08/19 – Springfield, IL @ Illinois State Fair 08/20 – Kansasville, WI @ LIVE At 1175 08/27 – Reading, UK @ Reading Festival 08/28 – Leeds, UK @ Leeds Festival 09/03 – Pryor, OK @ Rocklahoma 09/10 – Mansfield, OH @ Ohio State Reformatory 09/19 – Maryland Heights, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre 09/23 – Dover, DE @ The Woodlands 09/26 – Louisville, KY @ Louder Than Life 10/07 – Sacramento, CA @ Aftershock 11/13 – Daytona Beach, FL @ Welcome to Rockville 02/19/22 – Hamburg, DE @ Gruenspan 02/20/22 – Berlin, DE @ Astra Kulturhaus 02/22/22 – Copenhagen, DK @ Pumpehuset 02/24/22 – Stockholm, SE @ Fryshuset 02/26/22 – Münster, GE @ Skaters Palace 02/28/22 – Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg 03/01/22 – Brussels, BE @ Ancienne Belgique
03/03/22 – Tilburg, NL @ Poppodium 03/05/22 – Cardiff, UK @ The Great Hall – Cardiff Uni 03/06/22 – Glasgow, UK @ SWG3 03/09/22 – Manchester, UK @ Albert Hall 03/10/22 – Dublin, IE @ Olympia Theatre 03/12/22 – London, UK @ Roundhouse 03/13/22 – Nottingham , UK @ Rock City 03/15/22 – Paris, FR @ Cabaret Sauvage 03/16/22 – Cologne, DE @ Live Music Hall 03/17/22 – Prague, CZ @ Lucerna Music Bar 03/20/22 – Warsaw, PL @ Progresja 03/21/22 – Brno, CZ @ Fleda Club 03/22/22 – Budapest, HU @ Akvárium Klub 03/24/22 – Graz, AT @ Orpheum Garage 03/25/22 – Solothurn, CH @ Kulturfabrik Kofmehl 03/26/22 – München, DE @ Backstage Werk