Photo: Michelle Grace Hunder

All the soulful heartthrobs better move aside because Ruel is back and better than ever with his trademark infectious melodies and charming instrumentals. By the time he was just eight years old, the London-born Australian learned how to play guitar, which was a decision that ultimately led to him working with GRAMMY-winning producer M-Phazes (Eminem, Logic, KYLE) and being the youngest male artist in history to sell out the renowned Sydney Opera House. As a dedicated songwriter who draws inspiration from personal experiences, Ruel is catching the eyes of millions with his forthcoming EP’s funky new lead single, “Painkiller.”

Written by Ruel alongside M-Phazes and Sarah Aarons in a Los Angeles Airbnb, “Painkiller” is drenched with warm violins, groovy bass lines, and luscious vocals courtesy of the one and only Ruel. Similar to the way analgesics are able to soothe excruciating pain and relieve the worst aches, the impactful subject Ruel describes in “Painkiller” is somehow able to emotionally detach him from some of his lowest moments.

Filmed in Australia, the lighthearted music video for “Painkiller” opens with a house undergoing fumigation. Underneath the black and yellow tent is a dance party featuring Ruel in a Talking Heads-reminiscent suit with a classic gingham pattern, which immediately sets the tone for the rest of the high-spirited narrative. 

Cheerfully prancing around people sporting yellow hazmat suits with “Painkiller” printed on them, Ruel has the time of his life, in spite of seemingly inhaling the lethal gases in the contaminated atmosphere. The Grey Ghost-directed visual closes with Ruel losing all of his limbs as the toxic chemicals eventually cause his head to shatter into faceless shards, but we promise it’s all a spellbinding treat. 

Throw on a hazmat suit and join Ruel’s intoxicating dance party with the “Painkiller” video below:

For more on Ruel, revisit the time we first discovered his dynamic debut EP, Ready!