PRETTYBOYSHAV to Release New Single "CUCKOO" With Futures ✦

prettyboyshav has released a new single, 'cuckoo,' accompanied by a music video, via Futures ✦. Since his entry into the music scene with his hit '4runner,' prettyboyshav has undergone a creative transformation with the new single.

'cuckoo' is accompanied by a music video shot on 16mm film and directed by Sundance Film Festival-selected director Dane Ray. Filmed in the historic NYC Church Street Boxing Gym and on the steps of City Hall, Shav has created something more akin to his own boxing film than a music video. Walking amongst fighters frozen in time, Shav steps into the ring and takes a deep breath before his first swing brings his world into motion.

In preparation for this rollout, Shav trained in boxing for 12 months with former world champions, showing the same heart that he applies in all aspects of his life. He sings 'I saw my life in a photograph and I'll be alright,' asking the listener, 'if it all went right, what would you see?'

With a predominantly South Asian cast, 'cuckoo' is a celebration of the Desi-American community in New York, where Shav and his peers take center stage rather than standing on the sidelines.

'There is a movement of change in America coming from New York. This video celebrates the individuals within our community who are pushing culture forward and choosing to fight for their dreams every day,' prettyboyshav adds.

'cuckoo' releases today, 9.9.26 via Futures ✦.

New York City is in the midst of shifts in politics, sports, and in what the city sounds like. prettyboyshav champions a shift in music and culture, whether it's bringing out hundreds of Desi-Americans to the streets for his pretty jeans EP campaign, or leading indify, a service powering independent artists to reach unprecedented levels of success. Through Indify he has helped artists like James Blake find success outside of the major label system while keeping ownership of their music. Through his music and his business, shown on the logos printed on the boxing mitts he hits in the visual, Shav continues to fight day in and day out his vision of a more equitable music industry.

Born in New Delhi, and later immigrating to America, much of Shav's early work was an attempt to understand himself through music. 'Too Pretty for Sunshine,' his debut, traced those formative years, invoking the sonic landscape of a bright-eyed coming-of-age film, introducing him impressively with over 10 million streams, and an inbound sync placement in Netflix's GINNY & GEORGIA.

His upcoming project is more inward-facing: a record about what it means to sit with insecurity and confront it with consistency: to let ambition move slowly yet steadily, and to trust that the space between milestones is where the real work happens. Shav believes that by putting ego aside, one can be at peace with themselves internally and ultimately be in service of others.

Music Video Production

Director: Dane Ray

Producer: Briana Bursten

1st AD: Ian Martín

Director of Photography: Tristan Oliveira

1st AC: Jacob Shapiro

2nd AC: Hilla Eden

Gaffer: Connor Murdock

Best Electric: Julian Tran

Best Grip: Luca Blankenship

Key Grip: Emmet Luciano

Production Designer: Grace Jung

Hair & Make up: Pili Mairena

Production Assistants: Christian Ferrarie, Julián Gallese

Location: Church Street Boxing Gym, NYC

Post-Production

Editor: Noah Weisfogel

Color: @studio__rm

Colourist: Vlad Barin

Exec Producer: Mike Coley

Colour Producer: Ella Hill

Featured Cast

Pranshu Verma

Misha Vaya

Nancy Uddin

Shivani Shah

Stiven Sosa Reyes

Dane Shakaib

Rajid Selim

Eli Sethna

Tej Patel

Genie Shekar

Extras

Musa

Jarrett Simbana

Juan Medina

Felix Dasgupta

Rashawn Mcfarlane

'cuckoo' Lyrics

bird flew over the cuckoo's nest,
take this jacket off me,
God got caught in a tesseract,
now the lights are on me,
saw my life in a photograph,
it was like a movie,
hand got stuck in an dresser
take this get up off me

breathe
i'll be alright i'll be all you see
hold my head high
stand up on two feet
tell my whole life
tell my whole life

i saw my life in a photograph and i'll be alright
bird flew over the choo-choo train
leave the tracks behind me
get violence and no sympathy
i just brush it off me
hear violins in a symphony
hear them all around me
live up on tv
i feel the static on me

breathe
i'll be alright i'll be all you see
hold my head high
stand up on two feet
tell my whole life
tell my whole life

i saw my life in a photograph and i'll be alright
saw my life in a photograph and i'll be alright
saw my life in a photograph and i'll be alright

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