janna reveals her new album and releases an unassuming single, “i don’t know”

Last time singer-songwriter janna (aka Johanna Baumann) caught up with The Key, she mentioned that something big was coming, and now it seems that she’s delivered: late last week, she rolled out a new song, music video, and album announcement.

At first “i don’t know” just seems like a catchy, repetitive tune, with most of the lines varying by only one word. But if you take even a moment to listen closer, you’ll slowly realize that there’s more going on behind the repetitive lines. Sprinkled in-between the more unassuming lyrics, Baumann dives into what it means to feel inadequate and hopeless. Baumann circles around before finally getting to the heart of what she’s singing: “yeah, i guess this is why / i don’t even try.”

The circular melody is underlined by a bouncy guitar, violin-esque synths, and twinkling tones. The peppy sound further obscures the actual nature of the song, adding yet another layer that listeners have to peel away to get to the heart of what Baumann is saying.

The music video for “i don’t know” is distorted, hazy, and colorful, echoing every nuance of the unexpectedly complex song. You can watch the video below and be sure to check out janna’s solo debut, back to the wilderness, when it’s released on April 16th.