“Hard work doesn’t always equal a pay off,” says Lizette Lizette, “Sometimes you just get burned out and that’s it.”
The nonbinary Swedish artist, who just relocated to New York City, is grappling with this reality on their latest release, “Work,” an aptly titled indie-pop song addressing the false promises of our “American Dream.” On it, they sing about feelings of boredom, impatience and sickness as a result of endless labor that can often lead nowhere. “It’s a trap,” Lizette Lizette argues, balancing the push-pull of contentment alongside “chasing something better or something more.”
The accompanying music video, premiering today on PAPER, sees Lizette Lizette as a suited up workaholic navigating the busy streets of Wall Street. (Very Dorian Electra “Career Boy”). Their phone never stops ringing, pulling inspiration from one iconic Hollywood business man: “An ’80s yuppie a la Patrick Bateman from American Psycho,” they say, only Lizette Lizette’s version has overdrawn clown red lips and platform club kid boots.
“I naturally work with humor and sarcasm in my music videos,” they explain, underscoring the more extreme moments in “Work.” At one point, Lizette Lizette is shown sprinting at the camera, briefcase-in-hand as cash spills wildly onto the sidewalk all around them. The video also features Lizette Lizette’s New York best friend: the performance artist, producer and DJ, Vile Sanchez, who adds to this queer, colorful play on corporate America.
The single “Work” will appear on Lizette Lizette’s fourth album, LaQueer, due out this spring. They hope this release will resonate with an audience who “can relate to that feeling of disappointment and tiredness — and that it reminds them to give themselves a break and try to be more of a happy lazy fuck.”
Photography: Marissa Alper