“If we band together, we have a lot of power. Basically taking back that power as women.” So runs the thesis of Yayné’s ‘IDFWU’. It was written about a “kinda toxic” relationship, about standing up as a woman with support from other women, and taking a stand against patriarchal oppression—“really embracing that power that you can get through all the other women in your life”.
Released earlier this year on Yayné’s debut EP, Simple Pleasure, it’s an idea that resonates with the cultural moment we find ourselves in: see the ever-growing list of men who have abused positions of power for sexual gratification, but also the social and professional consequences of those actions, brought about by the determination of women to see justice done. “I guess there are a lot of things that have been brought to light that have been happening for a long long time, obviously, and I think we’re in a better position now than ever to be able to speak up and be able to band together. It’s just all too common and I think any way that women can embrace themselves is empowering in itself,” Yayné says.
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Under the direction of Lucia Farron-Diamantis, the video’s visuals, too, are heavy on the theme of women standing together, with feminine imagery—crystals supplied by Love&Luna, flowers—further underscoring its goals. “If I have any way of contributing to women standing up and embracing themselves, as they are, that we are enough and we can claim that power back as a joint force I guess, then that’s amazing.”
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