IAN SWEET (the project of LA artist Jilian Medford) presents a new single/video, “FIGHT.” It’s her second standalone release following “f*ckthat” and her critically acclaimed album Show Me How You Disappear, and precedes her North American and EU/UK tour (tickets on sale now). “FIGHT” swells with bright guitar and emotion, as Medford sings about “a pandemic relationship – one that didn’t end up working out.” It’s anthemic and a perfect summer sing-along. Medford elaborates on the track: “Spending every day with someone, doing everything together, not knowing if the world was going to end. Leaning on someone with such heaviness, putting our entire weight, and being onto each other because it’s all we had. The song plays into both the monotony of the relationship and the catastrophe that I went through after it ended. I felt so content in the relationship but then my entire world fell apart when it ended and I didn’t know how to pick myself back up and move forward.”

The accompanying video was directed by frequent collaborator Lucy Sandler. It features Medford’s friends, who sing karaoke to the track in the vibrantly-decorated Prime Time (a bar Sandler and Medford frequent). Eventually, Medford appears amongst the crowd. Director Lucy Sandler says “I can only describe making ‘FIGHT’ as a true celebration, a giant family affair. By the end of the day all our friends became friends, the bar owners were taking shots with everyone, and Jilian got to crowd surf which made me tear up because she was so happy. I just wanted to capture the rawness and excited vulnerability that comes with a karaoke performance.”

“FIGHT” is the first taste of “Star Stuff,” an EP that’s coming together in real-time. It’s a collection that’s finding its form as Medford completes new songs between tours and work and life. As she explains: “Some songs come quickly and it doesn’t feel right to hold onto them. It’s important for me to put out music as it comes, and not hold onto it for too long—it’s always amazing to have it be part of something greater, but I want to share what I’m feeling almost as it happens.”

IAN SWEET TOUR DATES
Wed. May 18 – Tilburg, NL @ Skatecafe
Thu. May 19 – Groningen, NL @ Vera
Fri. May 20 – Amsterdam, NL @ London Calling
Sun. May 22 – Manchester, UK @ YES
Mon. May 23 – Glasgow, UK @ The Hug and Pint
Wed. May 25 – Liverpool, UK @ Zanzibar Club
Thu. May 26 – London, UK @ The Grace
Sat. May 28 – Bristol, UK @ Dot to Dot Festival
Sun. May 29 – Nottingham, UK @ Dot To Dot Festival
Tue. May 31 – Birmingham, UK @ Hare & Hounds
Fri. Jul. 22 – 24 – Seattle, WA @ Capitol Hill Block Party
Wed. Jul. 27 – New York, NY @ Baby’s All Right #
Thu. Jul. 28 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s #
Fri. Jul. 29 – Washington, DC @ Songbyrd #
Sun. Jul. 31 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall #
Mon. Aug. 1 – Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz #
Tue. Aug. 2 – Toronto, ON @ Baby G #
Thu. Aug. 4 – Chicago, IL @ Sleeping Village #
Fri. Aug. 5 – Milwaukee, WI @ Colectivo #
Sat. Aug. 6 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St Entry #
Mon. Aug. 8 – Omaha, NE @ Reverb Lounge #
Tue. Aug. 9 – Kansas City, MO @ Record Bar #
Thu. Aug. 11 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge #
Fri. Aug. 12 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court #
Sun. Aug. 14 – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar#
 
#=w/ Bnny