Carlie Hanson Goes Home to Break the 'Illusion'

Over the past four years, the 22-year-old alt-pop musician has been churning out a catalogue of contemplative and captivating songs about the uncertainty and indecision that comes with being on the cusp of adulthood. Unlike most people though, Hanson's coming of age has been complicated by her rise to fame and the ups-and-downs of the music industry, with LA being a long ways away from the quiet Midwestern town she grew up in. And with so many questions surrounding the future, it makes sense that she's returning to her roots for a more grounded perspective ikn the nostalgia-laden music video for "Illusion."

Set against a backdrop of forests and dairy farms, the Logan Rice-directed visual sees Hanson in her hometown of Onalaska, Wisconsin, talking about the differences between her dreams and a reality, where she may have "lucked out" but feels "more lost" than ever.

“This isn’t what I thought it’d be like, just an illusion, doesn’t sit right," she sings while reflecting upon the path she's taken amidst swelling synths, hazy guitar hooks and the place she knows best.

"Shooting the music video in my hometown was super important to me because I wanted to pinpoint that no matter where life takes me, coming back home and remembering who I am and how my career and artistry began is a really valuable thing," as Hanson explained to PAPER, adding that she tapped into the universal feeling of knowing "what it feels like to set some kind of expectation for a certain experience" on the pensive and deeply personal track.

"And then when you finally get there and it’s standing right in front of you, it’s nothing like you expected," she went on to say. "That’s what 'Illusion' means to me."

Check out our exclusive premiere of "Illusion," below.

Photo courtesy of Carlie Hanson / Warner Records