YUNGBLUD — mars

Released in 2020 as part of YUNGBLUD’s UK number-one album Weird!, “mars” tells a raw story about identity, alienation, family conflict and the need to be accepted for who you really are. The song was inspired by a young transgender fan YUNGBLUD met during the 2018 Warped Tour in Maryland. She told him that her parents had struggled to accept her transition, so she saved enough money to bring them to his show. Seeing the community around YUNGBLUD helped them understand that her identity was not a phase and that she had always been their daughter.

The music video translates that story into a series of intense, direct-to-camera portraits. YUNGBLUD and the ensemble cast are shown confronting pressure, violence and attempts to suppress their identities through stark performance, distressed make-up and visceral physical imagery. The film reflects both the emotional damage caused by rejection and the importance of finding a community where people can live openly as themselves.

Ross Anderson is a UK-based Creative Director and Executive Producer working across music videos, advertising, entertainment, film and international creative production. This portfolio upload documents Ross Anderson’s creative and production contribution to the project. Music and recording rights remain with their respective owners.