Following the melancholic indie folk song ‘Magnolia’ and the slow burning album opener ‘Ålesund’, today Cologne-based artfolk-artist Jules Ahoi releases heartfelt folk-pop song ‘Icarus’, the final single from his upcoming album ‘MAGNOLIA (The Bauhaus Tapes)’, ahead its release 6 September. Taking the most famous father-son relationship in Greek mythology and turning into a tragic coming-of-age story, ‘Icarus’ with the young protagonist’s yearning for freedom and the warnings that fall on deaf ears, which eventually leads to his downfall.

Equipped with this painful realisation, his unique baritone and accent, acoustic guitar and the children’s piano, the multidisciplinary artist takes on the role of the father in ‘Icarus’ who wants to give his overconfident son good advice for his journey. However, the child does not follow this advice and crashes as a consequence of his youthful recklessness and overconfidence – an unavoidable path any parent can relate to.

Icarus, oh Icarus

Spread your wings and try to touch the sky

Icarus, oh Icarus

Keep in mind the fiery sunlit height

‘This song is typical of the thoughts that come to me when I’m alone,’ Ahoi explains the concept. ‘My dad sadly passed away a few years ago and a lot of things left unsaid died with him. The opportunity to clarify or discuss things again is no longer there. Everything that should or could have been said, I now have to deal by myself.’ 

The song talks about the complicated relationship between the generations who are constantly growing up and want to go their own way. It deals with the moment just before disaster strikes: the father gives his son advice, but the son doesn’t want to listen to it because he is young, has his own experiences and is desperate to try his wings in life. A tragic coming-of-age story from a parent’s perspective, illustrated by a richly detailed music video by Cologne artist Julia Jesionek.