Canadian singer-songwriter Ron Kalmakoff has unveiled his new single, a beautiful interpretation of Jim Cuddy’s “You Be The Leaver”.
An original work by one of the five celebrated Canadian songwriters that Kalmakoff chose to pay homage to on his newest full-length album, Nature, released last November, “You Be The Leaver” is a story of love that faded and two lovers who drifted apart but, to Kalmakoff, it has a bigger scope that opened up some deep self-reflection too.
“This song definitely encompasses thoughts of heartbreak, but there are also lyrics in the song that speak to me about loss on other levels,” explains Kalmakoff. “Loss that many people have been going through over the last couple of years.”
“These particular lyrics in the song always get to me every time I sing them.”
I can’t explain
Oh well I guess I knew, as the shadows grew
But there was always so much time
So, you be the leaver, I’ll be the left behind
Kalmakoff’s dextrous and emotive tenor brings a sense of yearning to those lyrics, underlining how true it is that we really don’t know how finite our time really is with our loved ones.
Those feelings of self-reflection and loss figure prominently in the video for “You Be The Leaver”. Taking great advantage of the lush natural surroundings near Kalmakoff’s home on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast, video director Alexander Sharp wanted to emphasize the feelings of loss conveyed through the lyrics but visually mirror the feelings of self-reflection and isolation the song fosters as well.
“I loved the idea of watching Ron in this one as a reflection because when your heart is broken, it can feel, mentally speaking, there is nowhere to go except back to the past: a reflection of your former self,” notes Sharp. “Something about using mirror panes in the forest felt like a beautiful nightmare.”
Watch the video for “You Be The Leaver” below, and stay up to date with Ron via his socials.