Dorothy Key's new release, "Toes," is a breezy indie-pop take on the complex feeling of wishing someone could understand your pain. The sunny exterior hides a dark side, creating an interesting contrast between the song's upbeat surface and emotional core. Dorothy makes hard feelings expressive, energetic, and personal.
"Toes" is produced by Gary Atturio at The Nightfly in Brooklyn. It's the kind of song you can enjoy right away, but it gives up more and more with every listen. Emotionally, it is about wanting someone else to feel the consequences of their actions, but it's also about the complicated process of working through insecurity and longing for confidence.
The video really brings that idea to life. Filmed in Brooklyn by Slugwife Productions and directed by Augie Murphy and Rowan Cassandra Lin, the music video pits Dorothy's insecure self against her confident drag persona. The idea contains room for themes of self-acceptance, fandom, obsession, and wanting to become a stronger version of yourself. "Toes" is a vision of change, and Dorothy Key addresses emotional openness without letting it dominate the experience, all over an upbeat indie-pop backdrop.