To quote Haddaway – what is love? Is it a mere chemical reaction? Is it something more emotional, perhaps even divine? Does it matter that one half of a loving relationship was made in China? Ant Saunders, the 19-year-old R&B singer known for his massive hit “Yellow Hearts,” dares to go there in his new song and video, “u know it’s real.” In the video, released on Feb. 28, Ant seems to find himself living in pure domesticated heaven while the blonde woman of his dream watches on. Turns out, “woman of his dreams” is more accurate than one would think. In a surprise twist worthy of M. Night Shyamalan, the woman in the video isn’t completely natural.
The shock of the video matches the clever lyrics of the song. “u know it’s real” is a charming bop, one that would warm up a dreary rainy day. Ant’s vocals dance playfully along with the low-key beat, but within the lyrics lie a surprising deep contemplation of love’s authenticity. “You know it’s real When thinking bout her gives you warmth / You know it’s real / When you get anxious thinking forth / You know it’s real / You know it’s real when you can’t take being far away, aye.” You know that with lyrics like this, “u know it’s real” will be on every romantic playlist from now until the end of time.
So, what’s the deal with Ant’s unusual romance in the video? “The video draws a parallel between imaginary and real love. It portrays a character with the desire of being in a loving and compassionate relationship,” Ant says in a statement about the new visual, “and the confidence that he’s capable of doing so, but not the confidence of actually finding that true love. He gives that energy to a fake, lifeless lover who wouldn’t leave him as a result. The concept was very odd but it’s just something we had fun with!“
Speaking of fun, millions of TikTok viewers have had a blast with his song, “Yellow Hearts.” Written and recorded in his bedroom on the day of his high school graduation, the track blew up when posted to TikTok a few months later. It currently sits at over 260 million global streams. “Yellow Hearts” is certified gold in the U.S. and made its way to the Billboard Hot 100. He recently released a remixed version with Audrey Mika earlier this month. Considering the success of “Yellow Hearts” and how this new song is an undeniable jam, u know that Ant is the real deal.