PREMIERE: Renée Yoxon’s “Terrible Alchemy” is an Anthem for Broken Hearts and Bones

By Cody Corrall

As we barrel towards the end of the decade, either haphazardly or with grace, some artists are embracing a new era of transformation. Montreal singer/songwriter Renée Yoxon is certainly feeling this change in their premiere single “Terrible Alchemy,” a digression from over a decade of work as a jazz musician into uncharted, anthemic territory.

The video for “Terrible Alchemy” features Yoxon front and center, jumping from emotional readings of lyrics about broken hearts and broken bones to physical interpretations of their words. All the while, Yoxon is awashed in colors and flickering images projected onto them — outer space, blood cells, a volcanic eruption, the human body — that parallel their poignant and poetic lyricism.

Terrible Alchemy turned my fairytale to a painful truth / Terrible Alchemy turned my cracking bones to a fragrant fruit / Terrible Alchemy turned my failing hip to a broken heart / Terrible Alchemy turns a dying light to a brand new start.

With “Terrible Alchemy,” Yoxon shows immense promise as an artist to watch out for in the new decade. Come for personal lyricism and moody sensibilities, stay for a lasting vocal prowess that compliments any genre.