Turning Old Testament tales into contemporary parables is no easy feat, and the duo Joanie & Matt — releasing its sophomore album, Sterling, on July 19 — take the concept in a particularly provocative direction with the title track, whose video premieres exclusively below.
“Sterling” was inspired by the story of Tamar, who was raped by her half-brother Amnon in 2 Samuel. Joanie & Matt’s song, sung from Tamar’s viewpoint rather than the Bible’s third-person, is #MeToo timely, sung from the perspective of both a woman and a victim — a voice that’s not at all found in the Bible and other ancient religious texts.