Photo credit: Fairlight Hubbard

We’ve been following Natalie Schlabs along the journey to her forthcoming album, Don’t Look Too Close, for much of 2020.

Now, the title track is here, and it’s here to encourage us to accept our honest, unfiltered selves.

“Don’t Look Too Close” is an up-tempo indie rock dreamscape; one which addresses the ways we hide our imperfections from society — and sometimes, even from the ones we care most about. The weight in Schlabs’ voice on the single is consistent with the pressure brought on by society to “keep up,” and the fronts we’ll put up in order to present ourselves to its liking.

This notion is illustrated further in the music video. Time lapsed footage of Schlabs having her hair and makeup done offers us a chance to examine our two selves — the polished one we show the world, and the unaltered version those closest to us get to enjoy.

It’s time to get real! Watch “Don’t Look Too Close” below!