Badflower have released “Don’t Hate Me,” a new single and video ahead of their forthcoming album, THIS IS HOW THE WORLD ENDS, due Sept. 24. The song dropped just ahead of the announcement that the group would appear on the cover of Alternative Press’ Issue 397.
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The video for “Don’t Hate Me” features the band sporting a variety of looks. As vulnerable, confessional lyrics reiterate cries for amnesty, the band appear in various costumes, ranging from eyeliner emo to pop rockers. The video seems to reflect the sentiment of the lyrics, such as “This never-ending obsession to kill our own reflection/Depression makes no exceptions except the rich and sexy.”
Lead singer Josh Katz says the track highlights the human condition of trying to be someone else.
“It’s a lot of self-awareness,” Katz says. “On the bridge, there’s a meta dialogue where I explain how I’ve changed my entire life and appearance to make somebody else like me more. I think I have experienced versions of trying to be something else for someone else throughout my life. I think everybody has.”
“Don’t Hate Me” is the second song off the group’s forthcoming album after “Family.” Similar to the new single, “Family” uses transparency and vulnerability as the driving force for the track. In an interview with AltPress, Katz said being vulnerable is part of the writing process.
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“Being vulnerable in music is what I’ve always done, and that space is typically where [I] feel the most comfortable,” he says. “It’s being vulnerable outside of music that feels impossible to me.”
In addition to releasing the new single and scheduled album, Badflower are also set to go on tour, beginning with the Illinois State Fair. You can get tickets to the tour on their website and find dates below.
What do you think of “Don’t Hate Me”? Listen to the confessional track below, and let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Badflower “Don’t Hate Me” lyrics:
Don’t hate me, don’t hate me
Don’t hate me more than I hate myself
Don’t hate me, I’m sad enough
I lost my mind today
I checked up on the guys you date
It’s no wonder I’m insecure
She’s in my, my head again
So I called her checking in
No answer and now I’m on my way to say the same old shit
Don’t hate me, don’t hate me
Don’t hate me more than I hate myself
Don’t let me destroy me
Don’t hurt me more than I hurt myself
Just scold me, console me
Control me, oh I could use some help
But don’t hate me, I’m sad enough
I changed my face again
I just want you to let me in
Am I more than just a friend?
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It’s not grandeur, I’m off my meds
I’m no danger, so call the feds
I’m no stalker, I just ignore restraining orders all the time
I heard you started dating that singer from that emo band
What if my band was more like their band?
Would you hate me then?
I got all the tattoos and piercings, same as him, there’s nothing missing
I even dyed my hair and learned to scream
I sound just like him, listen
This never-ending obsession to kill our own reflection
Depression makes no exceptions except the rich and sexy
My delusion is better than facing the truth about me
I can see that you’re angry but don’t hate me
Don’t hate me, don’t hate me
Don’t hate me more than I hate myself
Don’t let me, destroy me
Don’t hurt me more than I hurt myself
Just scold me, console me
Control me, oh I could use some help
But don’t hate me (don’t hate me)
Badflower tour dates:
08/19 – Springfield, IL @ Illinois State Fair
08/20 – Kansasville, WI @ LIVE At 1175
08/27 – Reading, UK @ Reading Festival
08/28 – Leeds, UK @ Leeds Festival
09/03 – Pryor, OK @ Rocklahoma
09/10 – Mansfield, OH @ Ohio State Reformatory
09/19 – Maryland Heights, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
09/23 – Dover, DE @ The Woodlands
09/26 – Louisville, KY @ Louder Than Life
10/07 – Sacramento, CA @ Aftershock
11/13 – Daytona Beach, FL @ Welcome to Rockville
02/19/22 – Hamburg, DE @ Gruenspan
02/20/22 – Berlin, DE @ Astra Kulturhaus
02/22/22 – Copenhagen, DK @ Pumpehuset
02/24/22 – Stockholm, SE @ Fryshuset
02/26/22 – Münster, GE @ Skaters Palace
02/28/22 – Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg
03/01/22 – Brussels, BE @ Ancienne Belgique
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03/03/22 – Tilburg, NL @ Poppodium
03/05/22 – Cardiff, UK @ The Great Hall – Cardiff Uni
03/06/22 – Glasgow, UK @ SWG3
03/09/22 – Manchester, UK @ Albert Hall
03/10/22 – Dublin, IE @ Olympia Theatre
03/12/22 – London, UK @ Roundhouse
03/13/22 – Nottingham , UK @ Rock City
03/15/22 – Paris, FR @ Cabaret Sauvage
03/16/22 – Cologne, DE @ Live Music Hall
03/17/22 – Prague, CZ @ Lucerna Music Bar
03/20/22 – Warsaw, PL @ Progresja
03/21/22 – Brno, CZ @ Fleda Club
03/22/22 – Budapest, HU @ Akvárium Klub
03/24/22 – Graz, AT @ Orpheum Garage
03/25/22 – Solothurn, CH @ Kulturfabrik Kofmehl
03/26/22 – München, DE @ Backstage Werk