The United States has a long and shameful history of defining women by their looks. Uhl shines a light on this with her third single, “Miss United States”. The song and its accompanying music video trace the final moments and memories of a woman in her final hours.
“My life’s not as it seems,” Uhl laments. The black and white video flips between clips of military camps, from loading ships to burlesque dancing for the troops. “My heart’s still here, and it’s always beating softer,” she continues, making plain that she’s been dying long before her body was through.
As the haunting backing vocals create an eerie ambiance, two angels smile and walk through the forest towards the protagonist. There’s innocence in the angels—they dance and smile. It strikes an alarming duality with the sorrowful vocal melody peering into the life of this broken person.
The strings, arranged and performed by Yoed Nir, leave a wide space for Ulh’s operatic techniques to shine. Leo Abrahams’ guitar and Jenni Magna’s upright bass gently fill in the sparse accompaniment, helping keep all ears on the lyrics.
Watch “Miss United States” below.
The song “Miss United States” by Uhl is not to be associated with the untimely passing of Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst last January 30. The track and the music video were slated for release even before then. We are aware of the circumstances surrounding Cheslie’s demise and we wish to extend our condolences to everyone who has been impacted at this time of grief. If you are in need of mental health support, please call the 24/7 National Center for Mental Health Crisis Hotline at (0917) 899-8727 or (02)7-989-8727 or 1553 (Landline-to-landline only). International helplines can also be found at www.befrienders.org.
Ben is an advertising Madman who spends his days with words and music. When he’s not writing for his supper, he’s eating it at some of NYC’s most interesting restaurants.
