We’ve written many times about music artists who tackle the topic of addiction in their lyrics and videos. Demi Lovato, for example, created an entire recovery anthem with her hit single, “Sober.” Well now, the popular rock band The Lumineers are shining a light on alcoholism, with a moving new track called “Gloria.”
For the record, “Gloria” does not sugar coat any of the damage done by alcoholism. In the new viral video for the song, the lead actress (playing Gloria) is shown swigging vodka bottles and eventually being rushed to the emergency room because of her problem. It even ends on a cliffhanger, with a drunk driving accident that leaves her husband in critical condition.
Lumineers lead singer, Wesley Schultz, has a very personal connection to the song, having dealt with alcoholism within his own family. As he explained to the Variety website, “Gloria” is a statement about a much larger problem.
“So many people are touched by addiction, way more than it is talked about,” Schultz told the entertainment outlet. “It’s a lot like cancer in that it is this way too common thing in our culture.”
To tell the story of “Gloria” visually, the Lumineers leaned on noted Netflix director Kevin Phillips (who previously helmed the network’s hit show Super Dark Times). As Schultz explained, the tone they tried to achieve was similar to the classic movie Stand By Me, pushing hard for “dark authenticity.”
“Gloria is an addict,” Schultz continued. “And loving an addict is like standing among the crashing waves, trying to bend the will of the sea. This character needs to have this credibility or believability; looking and talking like real people. Just this aesthetic of authenticity.”
Schultz went on to say that he used the entire songwriting session of “Gloria” as a sort of therapy. As he told Variety, many of the addiction wounds from his childhood had yet to fully heal. In a way, letting out those emotions through a moving song became a positive coping mechanism. He also added that giving the topic widespread attention could potentially help others.
One additional way that The Lumineers helped spread the word about “Gloria” was through a moving performance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. To help convey the message, they even decorated the set with artifacts you may find in the home of an alcoholic.
Of course, it’s the “Gloria” video that’s getting the most attention and we encourage everyone to watch it (in its entirety) below…
