Even though Ethan Bortnick’s new compelling visual for his song “prom” represents a “happy ending” for the artist, the track is a heart-wrenching saga of all those ‘what-ifs’ and ‘never-will-be’s in his short life. “I never had a prom / Instead, i broke down in my car,” sings Ethan, as he lays sprawled across the hood of his vehicle, his body riddled with wounds that pale in comparison to the pain in his heart. Ethan unleashes his angst and frustration at how his life has reached a dead end so quickly.
There’s the aggravation of his stalled love life (“we never went on a date”), thanks to circumstances beyond his control (“quarantine made sure that I was too late”). There’s self-loathing at not being on the same level as his peers (“how did the hell did I end up in my parents’ house / everybody my age has already moved out”). With astute lyrics about how life can easily go off the rails, “prom” is a perfect coming-of-age anthem for those still waiting for it to happen – or are worried that it already did, and they missed it.
The “prom” video is quite significant to Ethan, beyond the meaning in the song’s lyrics. “Traveling to LA used to be normal to me. It started with my first appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno when I was six, but this last trip to LA to film the music video for ‘prom’ felt very different,” he tells HollywoodLife. “I was going to LA to finally fully execute my vision as an artist both visually and musically. Thanks to the incredible production team, the music video highlights the things I missed out on during quarantine in a really colorful yet tragic way. Having not traveled for two and a half years, this music video trip felt like the happy ending to ‘prom,’ finally getting out of the house and doing what I love again.”
Ethan will also host a “prom” afterparty in Rec Room – the virtual world, games, and user-generated content platform with 60M players. Tomorrow, April 30 from 11 a.m. PDT, anyone who joins Rec Room can go to prom with Ethan Bortnick as he performs the track as his in-game avatar, greets fans, and watches the “Prom” music video together. All event attendees will receive a special prom-themed t-shirt for their avatars.
@ethanbortnick THANK U THANK U THANK U I LOVE U GUYS I CRYING SO MUCH IF U KEEP STREAMING ILL NEVER SLEEP THO
Ethan has been finding a way to do what he loves, despite all the obstacles life has thrown his way over the past two years. Known by many for his viral hit “Cut My Fingers Off” and the boundless charm on his TikTok page, Ethan – now 21 – has been walking this music path as soon as he learned to walk. A classically trained pianist who first discovered his talent when he was age three, Ethan holds the Guinness World Record for World’s Youngest Solo Musician to Headline His Own Concert Tour. Though he honed his chops in classical and jazz, Ethan felt there was more to his sound.
In 2020, Ethan released his debut ep, harmonic minor. Now, he’s signed to Columbia Records and ready to take his career to the next level. No more missed opportunities. No more regrets. Now, the entire world is Ethan’s prom, and he will dance until the last song plays.