Bon Iver unveiled a moving and somewhat mystical new music video for “Naeem,” off their latest (and Grammy-nominated) album, i, i. The clip was directed by AG Rojas and marks Bon Iver’s first official, non-lyrical music video since 2012’s “Beth/Rest.”
In a statement, Rojas said, “‘Naeem’ is concerned with the potential for intergenerational healing, and how we choose to engage with that potential.” The clip features two powerful scenes that capture this theme, opening with a shot of what seems to be a father carrying his grown son, who is unconscious or possibly dead, from a car and laying him before a floating stone in the middle of the street.
The video then jumps to the next day, when a mother encounters the same floating stone, pries it open and discovers a mini waterfall inside. Brushing aside another motorist, angry at her for blocking the road, the mother brings her young child to the stone and washes his head.
Bon Iver released i, i in August, marking the band’s fourth studio album and first since 2016’s 22, A Million. On Wednesday, the album helped Bon Iver notch four Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year, Record of the Year for “Hey, Ma,” Best Alternative Album and Best Recording Package.