Exclusive Premiere: Samantha Crain, ‘Killer’

With her powerful new album, Under Branch & Thorn & Tree, Samantha Crain takes it upon herself to use her music for protest. “The oligarchy we live under today is not the republic we were promised and it is important to see that and to take action. I’m not trying to win arguments, I just want to get people involved in the conversation,” she explains.

It’s with that passion and determination that Crain approaches all of the tunes on her latest LP, and today (July 24), Diffuser is proud to partner with her to debut the official music video for the record’s opening track, “Killer” -- check it out in the player above.

Simply put, “Killer” is a protest song that breaks open the reality of police brutality in the African-American community. “Every day we are told that progress is being made toward equality and fairness but it seems there are still widening gaps between classes, sexes, races and creeds,” Crain explains. “This song is a call for awareness...”

With lyrics like, "The killer of girls, the killer of self / Turned the Garden of Eden into a fiery hell / Struck the rock too many times now no water comes out,” it's obvious Crain pours her heart and soul into the thought-provoking track -- and the accompanying visuals help paint the picture she's created with the song.

Though the video may seem lighthearted at first -- a cute kid, Evan Horsley, dressed as a police officer is riding a mini-motorcycle through town -- the underlying theme is a heartbreaking one. “‘Killer’ tells the story of Evan, an African-American boy who dreams of becoming a police officer in order to better his community, but who is killed by the police because of the color of his skin,” the directors, Weston Getto Allen and Dorian Electra, tell us.

Unfortunately, it seems like police brutality is a constant item in our 24-hour news cycle, but with the help of musicians like Crain, it will hopefully be a matter that is taken more and more seriously by citizens. "This is an issue that is very important to me and very relevant to our times," she says. "I feel that both the song and the video are calls for people to not take the media and their leaders at their word, but to seek the reality of situations for themselves."

You can get more information on everything happening in Crain's world -- including her current tour and complete discography -- at her official website. And make sure to join the conversation Crain has started by grabbing Under Branch & Thorn & Tree at this location.