Waterparks are back with another thrilling video after sharing their newest track “You’d Be Paranoid Too (If Everyone Was Out To Get You)” on April 28, 2021.
The latest single from the Alternative Press cover stars follows previously released tracks “Numb,” “Snow Globe” and “Lowkey As Hell,” off their upcoming album Greatest Hits. The song also shares a similar color scheme and visual tone seen throughout some of their other videos.
Read more: Waterparks redefine ‘Greatest Hits’ on their all-new AltPress cover
Dizzying camera movements and green screen effects add to the trio’s version of paranoia. They also mirror the passionate intensity behind the song’s catchy and head-banging sound.
The video opens with vocalist Awsten Knight, guitarist Geoff Wigington and drummer Otto Wood in color-coordinated Adidas tracksuits signature to their new era and their AltPress May issue. The trio then switch outfits and change positions, with Wigington trying out the drums and Wood licking a guitar in confusion. Video director Erik Rojas, singer/rapper DE’WAYNE and an adorable dog all make a quick cameo in this sequence.
Waterparks have teamed up with Rojas before, notably on 2018’s “NOT WARRIORS/CRYBABY” video as well as Knight’s recent collab with DE’WAYNE on “Perfume.” Rojas has also worked with other alternative artists such as Chase Atlantic, Lauren Sanderson and Herizen.
The band also worked with producer Zakk Cervini for “You’d Be Paranoid Too (If Everyone Was Out To Get You)”. This isn’t the first time they joined forces with him, as they also worked together on “Lowkey As Hell” and the trio’s 2019 album FANDOM.
Cervini has worked alongside other artists in the scene such as All Time Low, YUNGBLUD and Bishop Briggs. His work on blink-182’s 2016 album California even landed the band a Grammy nom for Best Rock Album.
Read more: DE’WAYNE and Awsten Knight team up for cathartic new track “Perfume”—watch
Knight took to Twitter to thank DE’WAYNE, My Chemical Romance’s Mikey Way, Patent Pending’s Joe Ragosta and Dashboard Confessional’s Chris Carrabba for their involvement in the song.
“Making art in 2020 was pretty isolating, so involving you made things feel better in those extra weird months,” he said.
THANK U DEWAYNE, MIKEY, CHRIS, & JOE FOR BEING ON THIS SONG & MAKING IT MORE SPECIAL. MAKING ART IN 2020 WAS PRETTY ISOLATING SO INVOLVING YOU MADE THINGS FEEL BETTER IN THOSE EXTRA WEIRD MONTHS♥️@IDEWAYNEJACKSON@MIKEYWAY@DASHBOARDMUSIC@JOEPENDING
👂🏼https://t.co/DYqXosdhgG pic.twitter.com/tJDSy7i8MC
— DANNY FANDOM (@awsten) April 28, 2021
You may recognize the song’s title from a book Knight released in 2019 with the same name. The book gives fans a glimpse into the inner workings of Knight’s brain, as he chronicles the epic highs and lows of life.
From recollections of his childhood to sections on love and dating, the book is not just an autobiography though. Alongside the personal stories, he poses unanswered questions for readers to self-reflect on. Knight also took to ASKfm to respond to fan questions, giving them real and unfiltered advice (and also some sarcasm).
Read more: 10 artists who brilliantly directed their own music videos
“You’d Be Paranoid Too (If Everyone Was Out To Get You)” is the latest video from the group since they shared a visual for “Numb” last month after debuting it at their Anti Tour concert. The completely virtual tour aired exclusively on Veeps and saw the trio perform a collection of their songs for fans to watch from the comfort of their homes.
The release of “You’d Be Paranoid Too (If Everyone Was Out To Get You)” also carries a hopeful tune once it is safe for live shows to begin again due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On social media, Knight talked about their excitement to play the track live. “THIS IS ONE OF THE SONGS IM MOST EXCITED FOR LIVE BC YALL SINGING, LEMME GET A COUPLE THOUSAND PEOPLE GOING ‘YOUUUUU’,” the caption reads.
Read more: Waterparks debut new track “Numb” live on Anti Tour performance—review
After confirming fan theories in February that the title was Greatest Hits, they announced the album will arrive May 21 via 300 Entertainment.
You can watch the video for “You’d Be Paranoid Too (If Everyone Was Out To Get You)” and exclusively hear from Knight below.
In 2019, you wore a DIY sweater with “You’d Be Paranoid Too If Everyone Was Out To Get You” on the front. Then in the second half of the year, you released your debut book of the same name. Why did you decide to use that title again for this particular track? How does the track relate to the original references?
I’ve been trying to write a song with that title for a while now, 2017 actually and I’ve made like 3 or 4 versions, but none ever felt right so I’d scrap them. I was making this song with my friends Joe [Ragosta] and Zakk [Cervini] and Joe was like, “Why don’t you have a song with the book title??” And the chorus was the first thing I tried over the instrumental and immediately we were all like, “YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.” I feel like a lot of the best songs just happen like that. I hope all listeners relate to it and maybe feel less alone if their own feelings, but also not project their own problems onto me and get weird at me on the timeline, no thank u!!! It’s a great song and one I’m very ready to do live. I dream about it every day!!!!!!!