Get Hard tells the tale of finally reclaiming your power, only to have life blow up in your face anyway. It is the first single from Medusa's upcoming album Allegory of The G/rave, whose music videos will come together as a short film retelling the classic myth of Medusa from a queer perspective.
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My 2022 objective - as an artist and as a person - is to produce a short film to accompany my upcoming concept album, Allegory of The G/rave. The film will be comprised of music videos for each of the album's tracks, which retell the classic myth of Medusa. The infamous gorgon's image is synonymous with monstrosity, but history has told her story from the perspective of the real monsters. She was victimized, transformed, banished, and killed for the sake of others' power and glory.
Originally, I chose my name because I was attacked, made out to be a liar, and then outcast. But, I constantly find new reasons to relate to Medusa - and this is not unique to me. Many feel connected to this classic Greek myth for a variety of reasons. Survivors of sexual violence relate to Medusa's survival and view her as a symbol of the reclamation of power. LGBTQIA+ people - especially the transgender and gender-diverse - see our own lives reflected in the way Medusa was turned into a monster, then exiled from society. Her story is in the process of being recontextualized by people fighting for the woman behind the 'monster'. What was once the visage of a sadistic hag is now becoming a symbol of power and divergence. Ironically, this transformation - unlike the one which begat her - changes nothing about her at all. This has always been her story, one of resilience and strength.
Medusa dies at the end. Most of you know that, of course. I'd apologize for the spoilers but the work has been around for thousands of years. But, with this film, I want to explore what would happen if she didn't. The transformation she went through after being attacked by Poseidon gave her the ultimate power of self-defense, but left her isolated and unable to meet the eyes of any friend or foe, lest she turn them to stone forever. What if, when Perseus eventually reaches Medusa to murder her, she doesn't die? What if Harpe - the sword gifted to Perseus by the Gods, for the purpose of killing the gorgon - strips her of her power, leaving her the same 'monster' but... mortal?
Who are we after we have been hurt? Can we ever be who we used to be again, or are we changed forever? I think of Medusa in her cave, alone, resenting the snakes she's made up of, wishing she could be anyone else. Wishing it would all stop. I want to explore what happens when we fight not only to stay alive, but to live again. How do we learn to live in our new bodies, with our new minds? How can we trust, and love, and be known? What does that look like?
This is the purpose of the album, and of the film. I don't know. Let's find out.
lyrics
Cursed by proud Athena
God, she's such a bitch
Says I'm so conceited
What a hypocrite
Always dirty dealing
Like a hypnotist
Listen, eat your feelings
I don't give a shit
If looks could kill
You bet they will
I get hard when I look in the mirror
Animal, never gonna die
Rock st-star, thank you to Athena
Cannibal, never close my eyes
Never close my eyes
I look in the mirror, I
Never close my eyes
I'm Medusa, I get hard
When I look in the mirror
I'm the producer, I'm in charge
How can I make it clearer?
Get hard, get hard
If looks could kill
Get hard, get hard
You bet they will
I get hard when I look in the mirror
Animal, never gonna die
Rock st-star, thank you to Athena
Cannibal, never close my eyes
Never close my eyes
I look in the mirror, I
Never close my eyes
Nobody
Said you had to look at me
Don't come crying
That you wanna throw the book at me
Rumors spread
That you want me dead
Cause you're begging
For my
Head
credits
from GET HARD,
released February 11, 2022
Written, produced, performed, mixed, mastered, etc, by Medusa, during what they did not realize was likely their first episode of clinical depression. During this period, Medusa was supported by all of their friends and loved ones, most of whom they treated rather poorly, and some of whom were subjected to consequences for crimes committed only in Medusa's own mind.
Medusa is a "revenge pop" musician based in New York. They're pretty sure they subconsciously stole calling their music "___-pop" from their friend Zand, who coined "ugly-pop," but it's way too late in the game to undo it now.
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