In the music video for his new single, pop artist Magnus Riise dives into a romance that’s both toxic and intoxicating, only to find himself barely able to tread water amid the heartbreak that ensues.
Released last month, “Earthquake” finds Riise canoodling with a handsome beau (played by “NCIS: Los Angeles” actor Barrett Foa) on a sun-drenched California patio. The two men plunge into a swimming pool, engaging in a passionate pas de deux that turns aggressive and violent as the music swells.
In an interview with HuffPost, Riise said he knew he wanted “Earthquake” to relay a message of self-empowerment through aquatic dance. Still, he and director Monika Felice Smith pledged not to portray his character as a passive participant in the ultimately doomed relationship.
Watch the music video for “Earthquake” below.
“Everything seems perfect ― gorgeous boyfriend, gorgeous house, the whole nine yards ― yet behind closed doors, it’s suffocating and sinister,” explained the singer-songwriter, who grew up in Norway and is now based in New York. “[But] this is not a story about heroes and villains, but one about the kind of damage that takes two willing participants to make happen. It’s why the decision I make at the end of the video to dive back into the water is so important.”
While the lyrics of “Earthquake” can apply to both queer and heterosexual relationships, Riise feels the song has special significance for LGBTQ+ people.
“We’ve been denied so many of the trappings of mainstream relationships for so long, and now that we’ve gained acceptance, we can sometimes prioritize what looks great from the outside over what’s good for us,” he said. “So I think it’s a reminder to move towards what actually makes you happy and warning about what happens when you don’t.”
Released last month, “Earthquake” can be found on “Until Tomorrow,” Riise’s debut EP. Collectively, the five tracks tell the story of “about getting through one more day” and reflect a litany of sonic influences, including Billie Eilish and Elton John.
The EP’s rollout got off to a less-than-optimal start when Riise says he was forced to restrict viewership of the title track’s steamy video to those aged 18 and over.
That Riise had to comply with that regulatory measure seems surprising in the era of Lil Nas X and Troye Sivan, who have never shied away from pushing boundaries. Still, he sees it as a reminder that LGBTQ+ themes are accepted only “through the lens of heteronormativity.”
“We have so many gay characters on TV, and yet so many of them could be swapped out for straight characters with only minor rewrites,” he said. “This is in a world where straight sex or sex that’s ‘straight-like’ is everywhere. While I do not make anything for the sole purpose of controversy or shock value, I am also not at all scared if the stories I tell end up creating that as a byproduct.”
These days, Riise is at work on a forthcoming video, “Still Here,” and is set to return to the studio to record new music as well as a podcast. Though his music career is still in its infancy, he’d like his work to help foster love, acceptance and inclusivity among audiences ― even though he’s hopeful to spend more time on dry land.
He said, “I tell the stories I want to tell, many of which I feel like I haven’t seen out there.”