Mixing soft-pop with soul is not easy, but Puma June has gone all out and delivered with her new track “Ride or Die”. On top of that, she’s also released a carefree accompanying music video that really showcases her energy when it comes to this song. This acts as the follow-up to her previous single “Glass Curtain”.
Puma June, real name Shanti Abbott, is a talented multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and producer hailing from Toronto, Ontario. Drawing inspiration from a diverse range of artists including Aretha Franklin, Charlotte Day Wilson, and Lana Del Rey, Puma June crafts a unique sonic blend of soft, soulful pop, funk, and R&B. With her raw and empowering songwriting, she captures an optimistic melancholy that resonates deeply. Having honed her skills as a self-taught guitarist, Suzuki-trained violinist, and vocalist, Puma June immersed herself in the vibrant music scene of her hometown, Barrie, Ontario, where she collaborated with her twin sister in a folk duo known as “Shanti and Vale” and later as “Concordia”. Beyond her folk endeavours, she also lent her talents to orchestras, and indie-rock/folk bands, and served as a backing vocalist and violinist for various groups. In 2020, Puma June emerged as a solo artist, combining the genres that shaped her musical journey and finally finding her own distinct voice. With notable singles like “Lost Years” and “Glass Curtain”, Puma June has garnered recognition as an emerging Canadian artist. Her music tackles powerful themes of family, growth, women’s rights, and the challenges faced by artists in a society that often undervalues their contributions. Puma June aims to foster a community that embraces individuality and amplifies authentic voices, empowering listeners along the way.
Talking about her “Ride or Die” single, Puma June said: “It’s a beautiful thing to have a person in your life who you know will remain by your side, through thick and thin, forever. For me, that’s my sister. This song is for her.”
Watch the official music video to “Ride or Die” by Puma June here:
Written by Shanti Abbott, “Ride or Die” is a soft-pop, soulful song with hints of jazz, funk, and R&B, that allows Puma June to truly showcase her style. Blending these genres really proves that Puma June is an incredible artist, with skills of engrossing listeners from the get-go. Vocally, she also delivers, really flooding the song with soulful emotion while giving this a chilled-out, relaxed vibe which wraps beautifully around her awesome lyrics. The track is one of those songs that just hits you deep inside, and it’s undeniable that her artistry is off the charts when it comes to this track alone.
As for the music video, directed by Nathan Hughes-Berry, first and foremost, it showcases Puma June’s aesthetic and her performance energy, as well as allows her to project and reflect. Most of the scenes see her surrounded in a home environment set, and she’s just feeling the song, moving to the beat, and allowing the song to flow through her. As we near the end of the music video, she adds make-up to her face in a clown-like vision, whilst still keeping her beauty and making it fashion – and that’s exactly what she does, creating a minimal clown look that is stunning and we definitely would welcome any clown looking this good even though we aren’t that into traditional clowns, they’re definitely scary. In doing so, Puma June not only showcases her make-up skills but also brings a slightly different energy that’s still the same, letting us see a reflection of herself. She mentions in an Instagram post that the music video was, “Fun and weird”, and we totally agree, but definitely in the best way!
Stream the newly-released track on Spotify here:
“Ride or Die”, by Puma June, is available to download and stream, right now, across all platforms, via Puma June Records.