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The Latest Video From Illuminati Hotties Is A Portrait Of Hope

Illuminati Hotties, aka L.A.'s Sarah Tudzin, seems plagued by the past on "Cuff." But over a chorus of explosive guitars, backed by simple, steady drum programming, she settles on a solution: "I cuff my T-shirt sleeve / and grit my teeth / How else can I tell myself I can do most anything?"

In a new video for the track, featuring animation from Sam Lane, the protagonist is a humble fish that has fantasies of flight. As the chorus explodes, dreamy visions of possibilities flash, the colors shifting. For the film's fish protagonist, despite the cost, hope remains. And for Tudzin, the final chorus offers relief in letting another in.

"After watching an animated short film that Sam created for part of her coursework at CalArts, I knew I wanted to collaborate with her on something," Tudzin tells NPR. "The animation and storytelling she does is so sensitive, emotionally aware, and poignantly relatable - it sneaks right into your guts and twists them up in the most winsome way."

The same can be said of Tudzin's debut, a record that balances humor and heart, illuminating the ways in which we cope with coming into our own, no matter our age.

Kiss Yr Frenemies is out now via Tiny Engines. Illuminati Hotties is on tour this fall.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.