Eye-catching Toronto alt-pop artist Ari Hicks has dropped her bloodthirsty single ‘Sucker’, out now.
Propelled by a dark, futuristic production, ‘Sucker’ centres around Ari’s slick, mesmerising vocals. Flipping the script on male-centric narratives, this salacious anthem is as playful as it is infectious: an emboldening single that represents her most self-assured release to date. Her first release of the new year, ‘Sucker’ will feature on the 23-year-old’s forthcoming album It’s Not That Deep, out this fall. The hotly-anticipated LP will see this dark pop siren suck the listener into her very own fairytale world.
Throughout the album, Ari will explore different characters that associate with each song. From fairy tales, folklore and supernatural beings, familiar stories will be explored with an ‘Ari’ twist to create a complete visual album. Beginning with ‘Sucker’, set in an eerie snowscape, perfeclting reflecting the mood of the video. Ari explains, “cold hearted and compelling/…/ this is the story of a vampire who is out to toy with any boy she sees fit – in this case unsuspecting, usually disrespectful men. The catch? She likes to bring her victims back to her suburban snowscape for a little fun as she hunts for the next sucker to play with.”
“As girls, we’re always portrayed as crazy or obsessed, that we’re always falling over guys,” Ari explains. “Guys get praise for being ‘players’, but women are sl*t-shamed and told they don’t deserve to play. It’s not always that deep. Why shouldn’t a girl be free to choose something as simple as wanting just a hook-up? To kiss on the first date, or wait? She should do whatever she wants to do.
She continues: “This song is about tapping into your confidence, being a little savage, never compromising what you want for the benefit of others and taking back the power from anyone who tries to take it from you. For anyone who thinks this is more than that, well joke’s on you, sucker.”
Ari Hicks represents the perfect paradox: soft and ethereal vocals singing from a soul cemented in strength. Quickly establishing herself as a rising star in the making, she burst onto the scene in 2020 with impressive debut single ‘Nothin’ But A Monster’, before showcasing her versatility on debut EP ‘IDIOT GRL’, which told the unfiltered story of her childhood. This was followed up by her most successful track ‘Kiss Me, Kill Me’, a Halloween-themed cut that has since racked up 1.8 million Spotify streams and counting.
Her first single release of 2022, ‘Sucker’ is the beginning of an exciting new chapter in the story of Ari Hicks.
