Next Paperback Hero Gets Introspective in Debut Music Video ‘Don’t Take My Energy’

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Nathan Honoré spent the past couple of years reinventing his sound.

Formerly the vocalist for orchestral folk group Whiskey Doubles, Honore pivoted to a dark-indie folk sound that was better suited for his baritone vocals. He now writes and performs as a singer-songwriter under the name Next Paperback Hero—a name inspired by Honoré’s initials.

Next Paperback Hero made its debut in 2021 with a full-length album titled Morning Skies & Heavy Eyes. The album, written mostly during the loneliest days of the pandemic, explores ideas of self-reflection, heartbreak and hopeful optimism over the course of its nine tracks.

Now, Honoré has released a music video for the finale on the album, “Don’t Take My Energy,” a brooding yet positive declaration of taking back control of one’s mental well-being.

The music video was directed by Milwaukee-based filmmaker Joe Ludwig, whose most recent work included a music video for surf pop indie band Fuzzysurf.

“When we started discussing doing a video together ... Joe came back with a strong concept and was able to translate not only the emotion of ‘Don’t Take My Energy,’ but the intention of the album into a truly lovely, impactful visual experience,” stated Honoré in a press release.

The camera follows Honoré as he self-reflects in familiar Milwaukee locations like Cactus Club and General Mitchell Airport as well as in the historic Watertown Towne Cinema. But the Milwaukee in the video has an uncanny likeness to the real deal—there’s a sense of lonesomeness in the way that there are never any other people present. There are signs that others do exist—a few cars are shown driving, and an airplane soars over Honoré’s head. But Honoré’s struggle with his inner demons causes those people to feel distant, and even some folks leaving the Cactus Club are shown out of focus—only their shapes indicate that they are in fact other humans. It’s difficult to focus on the day-to-day life that once seemed so simple when there’s so much going on inside one’s own head.

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The video’s release comes just days before Honoré performs at Anodyne Coffee Roasting Co., warming up the stage for Jorge Vallentine and Anja Elise. That show will take place on Jan. 28 and will begin at 8 p.m. Check out the video below and listen to the rest of Morning Skies & Heavy Eyes if you like what you hear.