Jessy Lanza has released a new single through Hyperdub, ‘Slapped By My Life’.
Out now, the track marks the first new music from the Canadian artist since the release of her 2023 album Love Hallucination. It’s described in a press release as “a bittersweet love letter to Jessy’s husband and frequent collaborator Winston H. Case”, and comes with co-production from Pearson Sound.
In a statement, Lanza said: “I wrote ‘Slapped By My Life’ while my husband Winston was going through chemotherapy. The treatment cycle was relentless and he spent most of the time bedridden, so while he slept I wrote this song for him. It’s been challenging to find the space to be creative since cancer came into our lives, but I knew this song would make Winston smile and that was motivation enough.
“Collaborating with Pearson Sound made this track exciting too because listening to his music has always been a serotonin rush. When I wrote ‘Slapped By My Life’ I was desperate to feel something other than sadness, to escape my mind and live inside the music, even for a few minutes. I dedicate this song to my husband Winston and to all the caregivers. You are the ones who keep the world turning.”
The song comes backed by a dance floor-friendly second version dubbed the ‘Existential Mix’, which will be released later this week.
For now, you can watch the video for ‘Slapped By My Life’ below. Filmed in New York City on a hot August afternoon, it was directed by Lanza’s husband, who also stars in the visual. It channels the trauma of his battle with cancer, depicting him in a full-body cast and motorised chair while being antagonised by a fleet of drones.
‘Slapped By My Life’ is out now on Hyperdub.
