We had the distinct honor of checking out Eighty Ninety -The indie-pop project of brothers Abner (vocals, production) and Harper (guitar, production) James who return with the release of their new single, “Stay Alive,” from their forthcoming debut album.

You can listen to “Stay Alive” Here

You can watch the video for “Stay Alive” below

We loved the first single “2 Carat” so we were excited to jump into “Stay Alive”

“Stay Alive” is a song that is raw, intense emotion. With no guard up, Abner delivers a refreshing account of his struggle with mental health. He adds, “‘Stay Alive is about how our struggles with mental health can affect our relationships and how the things we do to cope and the people we love — and who love us — can help to get us through life’s hardest moments. For my whole life, music has been one of the tools I turn to as a listener and a musician, but I’ve never directly addressed it in a song before.”

Finding himself at a low point, Abner sat down at the piano and “Stay Alive” unfurled from there. From there, the duo transformed the confessional ballad into an uplifting pop tune that promises better days ahead.

“The song is a promise to be there for myself and an acknowledgement that the more grounded part of me knows that those feelings pass, and I’ll make it through to the other side,” says Abner. “My hope is that it can also be a loving reminder to anyone else going through a hard time — and a promise to our audience that through our music we are and will always try to be there to help provide comfort and joy to anyone who listens.”

The accompanying music video, co-directed by Abner and Olivia Kimmel, captures the melancholic air of the song. Abner elaborates: “Shooting in a dreamy, vintage, almost unreal feeling and isolated setting felt like the right metaphor for that state of mind – and saving the only real sunlight for the final shot was our way of showing that ultimately this is a winnable fight, and an optimistic song.”

We are big fans of “Stay Alive “ from Eighty Ninety. It is a song full of beauty and honesty, that needs to be heard.