Ellie Goulding and Juice Wrld swipe and smoke away breakup woes in their new video for “Hate Me.” The single follows Goulding’s previously released visuals for “Sixteen” and “Flux.”
The Saam Farahmand-directed clip showcases the artists navigating contentious splits in a technological, social media-dominated world, where every move can have public-facing consequences. As Goulding opens with the push-and-pull chorus, where hatred, lingering desire and a wish to obliterate a relationship from the mind altogether intertwine, a shot of a cell phone is seen, where Goulding’s photos are being quickly deleted. Later she swipes at the camera, as if to delete any lingering memories.
Meanwhile, Juice Wrld is smoking away any issues, with a seemingly one-take toke and an exhale that impressively lasts his entire verse. Both appear flippant and numb to their relationships gone awry in the clip, cheekily taking the fallout in stride. Scenes of other individuals listening to the song are interspersed in the clip, showcasing a variety of reactions to the song’s emotional aftermath.
“Tell me how you hate me, hate me, still tryna replace me/Chase me, chase me, tell me how you hate me,” they sing on the chorus. “Erase me, erase me, wish you never dated me/Lies, tell me lies, tell me how you hate me.”