Pop Singer/Producer Asukal Drops Visual for "Midnight"

We are obsesssssed with Asukal’s new single and video for “Midnight” that just dropped today. Directed by Stephanie Dimiskovski with photography direction by Johnathan Schoonover, something about the visual kinda feels reminiscent of the Philippines - it might be the dude doing dirtbike stunts in tsinelas, and the night scenes that look like they could have been filmed on a pitch-black beach. Honestly, I’ve been listening to the song on a loop since Asukal sent the video over; the sparse beat and almost haunting quality in her voice are insanely catchy.

The self-taught pop singer - who grew up between the Philippines and the U.S., and whose stage name is the Tagalog word for “sugar” - writes, records, and produces all her own music, citing artists like Grimes and the late SOPHIE as influences. It’s been almost three years since we covered her debut music video, the bubbly “How It’s Gonna B”, and it’s been dope to watch her evolution as an artist, both visually and lyrically.

Asukal shared via email that “Midnight” is the first of several singles she’ll be releasing before her EP comes out later this year. Written and produced in the middle of quarantine, she says the song is about “dealing with anxiety that comes from external factors you can't control and learning to not be too hard on yourself in the process of taking care of your mental health.” She says that during the lockdown she’s been working on music videos, photoshoots, and writing new material for an upcoming album - we’re super excited to see what’s next!

Check out the “Midnight” video below and stay tuned for more from Asukal here.