Maya Hawke has shared “Sweet Tooth,” the delectable second offering from her upcoming sophomore LP Moss. The single comes with an accompanying music video that was inspired by a dental emergency happening in realtime for the Stranger Things star.
On “Sweet Tooth,” Hawke experiences the sweetness of unconditional love along with the unexpected stings from such a deep, emotional connection. Over a light, acoustic strum, she opens the tune with the lyrics, “Told my mother that I love her,” which is likely a dedication to her mother, actress Uma Thurman given the song’s first-person perspective. She gives further praise in the chorus, saying: “I’m grateful for everything you put me through/ It’s the only reason I’m any good to talk to,” before affectionately referring to the song’s subject as her “big, sore sweet tooth.”
Hawke revealed the lyrics were written while filming Stranger Things in Atlanta, and the first demo was later recorded in Nashville with Christian Lee Hutson. “‘Sweet Tooth’ was the last song written for Moss,” Hawke shared in a statement. “When we finished the first recording session, I felt this eruption of joy and I knew this feeling had to be on the record.”
In the music video, directed by Celine Sutter, Hawke follows a death-and-dentistry concept developed from sudden, wisdom tooth pain days before the shoot. Though it’s slightly more saccharine than the late-night orgy hosted in the visual for preceding single “Thérèse,” “Sweet Tooth” still finds space to explore heavier subjects that Sutter describes as “sweetness, cavity, death, and joy.” She elaborated, saying: “‘Sweet Tooth’ is a trippy, playful video that embraces the dichotomy of its themes: a joyful and melancholic funeral, a fake dream world with real footage, care and loneliness, sweetness and pain.” Stream the music video below.
Luckily, Hawke has recovered in time for a run of shows supporting Faye Webster in August. Her opening gig kicks off in Toronto on August 16th and covers four North American stops through the end of the month. Grab your seats via Ticketmaster.
Moss arrives on September 23rd via Mom+Pop. On Kyle Meredith With…, Hawke hinted at the album’s personal journey as well as its Taylor Swift and Stranger Things influences. Pre-orders are ongoing.