Raina Sokolov-Gonzalez Looks at Longing Head-On with New Video for “40 Days”
Still of Raina Sokolov-Gonzalez in “40 Days,” directed by Sofia Geld
The opening bars of Raina Sokolov-Gonzalez’s “40 Days” invoke a familiar feeling of all-consuming loneliness. From its first moments of gentle piano and haunting vocals, you are pulled into the Brooklyn-based singer’s personal experience of deep solitude and recovery.
Released in May 2021, “40 Days” is just one of several emotionally-resonating songs off the singer’s debut album If They’re Mine. On this track, Sokolov-Gonzalez explores themes of longing. Her lyrics “I dreamed of you for forty nights and forty days” lament not being ready, or able, to let go of a version of yourself that no longer serves you.
Still of Raina Sokolov-Gonzalez in “40 Days,” directed by Sofia Geld
While the song alone packs a heavy emotional punch, the experience is heightened by the captivating visuals of the recently-released music video. Premiered in December and directed by Sofia Geld, the video paints a visceral picture of Sokolov-Gonzalez’s experience, as she embodies the feelings of longing that inspire this track.
As “40 Days” opens on a decidedly-desolate note, it establishes shots of an empty home that feels silent and heavy with dust, emphasizing the feeling of something missing. Shots of body parts, belonging to Sokolov-Gonzalez and her backup dancers, appear fragmented on-screen as an instrumental transition shifts upwards; this suggests that though something is over, it is now time to pick up the pieces.
Still of Raina Sokolov-Gonzalez in “40 Days,” directed by Sofia Geld
Just as the viewer sinks into a comfortable feeling of melancholy, the arrival of layered drum, bass and keyboard, as well as the introduction of Sokolov-Gonzalez’s vocals, transform the love-sick ballad into a much needed pick-me-up.
Sokolov-Gonzalez’s powerful voice, enriched by a layered harmony, creates a choral sound that is both invigorating and tender. That rich, soft sound is mirrored in the warm light that permeates so many moments in her video. Geld’s directional vision embodies the sound of “40 Days,” which can best be described as the euphoria of letting light into a dark room.
Still of Raina Sokolov-Gonzalez in “40 Days,” directed by Sofia Geld
The focal point of this video is the body – namely, the physical manifestations of longing and solitude. Seemingly sequestered in a dark home that may be understood as symbolic of the singer's mind, we watch as she returns to her body and her feeling of self. It is in the repetitive movement of the hands and the erratic dancing of the backup singers that the audience is able to understand a powerful somatic experience that can’t be translated through lyrics alone.
Everything about this project is deeply moving. The smooth R&B of “40 Days” makes for an anthem that will have you driving around the block a second time just to hear it again. Similarly, the world created in the accompanying music video will pull you into a dream-like state from which you will be reluctant to wake up.
Watch the video for “40 Days” below!
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