Jacob Banks Releases Video For 'Unknown (To You)'

Critically-acclaimed singer/songwriter Jacob Banks releases the music video for "Unknown (To You)," the first single from his forthcoming album, The Village (Darkroom/ Interscope Records). The powerful video, written by Jacob and co-directed with FRMWRKLDN, depicts the fragile relationship between a father and son struggling to express their love for one another, constricted by cultural norms that dictate how a man should act. Billboard premiered the video earlier today, calling it "both unflinching and affectionate in its portrayal of two polar opposites colliding."

Jacob Banks Releases Video For "Unknown (To You)" :

"It can be difficult for men to express their emotions and convey affection, but no one ever talks about it," explains Jacob. "It's a masculinity thing but also a cultural thing, and I think many - especially those who grew up in immigrant households - will relate to the dynamic between the father and son in the video. My dad is an immigrant, and even though he is present in my everyday life and I know he cares about me, it's hard for him to show his love as a parent. 'Unknown (To You)' is a song that evokes abandonment, regret, and hopelessness, and I wanted to create a storyline that shows just how hard it can be to communicate emotion and really open up."

Since its recent release, "Unknown (To You)" has received critical acclaim, premiering as a "World First" by Zane Lowe on Beats 1, soaring to #1 on Hype Machine's main chart, and featuring as one of the best releases of the week. The New York Times declared the song a "grandly abject apology," going on to describe it as "a gospelly dirge with tolling piano chords and swelling strings behind his ever more desperate baritone growl," and NYLON pronounced it a "gut punch of emotion. There is passion in Banks' voice. There is soul. There is a worldly weariness that cannot be imitated."

This weekend, Jacob will play Austin City Limits before embarking on his headlining Into The Wild Tour. The North American leg will kick off with a sold-out show at The Roxy Theatre in LA on November 2nd, running through December 5th in Atlanta. The tour will make stops in major cities across the U.S. and Canada, including 2 nights in NYC (see full list of dates below).

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