Psykhi flails against domesticity on “White Picket Fence”

Relive the drama with this Ghana-born rager’s punk debut.

May 10, 2021

Psykhi's striking “White Picket Fence” opens with the image of the Ghanaian-born artist sitting astride a horse. Clad in a red jacket and peeping out from behind long hair, Psykhi sings about being "addicted to the drama" over a distorted, grungey riffs. It's the drama, Psykhi suggests, that is spoiling his chances of living a blissful home life. Nevertheles, he can't quit it and "White Picket Fence" taps into the excitement and fury felt during a tumultuous relationship.

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Mixing a punk attitude with rap candences and style, Psykhi's unique approach on "White Picket Fence" is magentic. The song is his debut single and will feature on an upcoming EP, details of which are due to be confirmed soon. Speaking to The FADER about the song, he said: “I was trying to figure things out and needed my outlet; so I sat in the park with a blunt and wrote White Picket Fence. I write melodies to try and recreate a sense of euphoria. White Picket Fence is an expression of love and passion mingled with disappointment and pain.”

On the theme of the video, meanwhile, director Peter Spanjer added: “When coming up with the concept for the White Picket Fence video, it was really important for me to visually mirror the intonation of the song whilst at the same time adding another layer to the experience. That’s when I started to think about symbolism, such as the white horse - traditionally a symbol of freedom and triumph - then placing it within an environment you wouldn’t typically see it in. The idea of the scenery was also inspired by the works of photographers Deana Lawson and Kennedi Carter who have both documented black cowboys - their images really resonated with me and represented all of the things I not only get from the song but also from Psykhi: confidence, courage and strength.”

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Psykhi flails against domesticity on “White Picket Fence”