Hard Life (formerly Easy Life) confronts an uncertain future in the new single “Othello”

Othello: A New Chapter

Hard life has returned with “Othello,” the first new single from the group following last year’s “tears” – listen to the track here.

The Journey to Creation

“Othello,” the standout record featured on BBC Radio 1 Tonight (April 8), was penned and recorded by Murray Matravers, the band’s frontman, during a transformative period in Japan after previously performing under the name Easy Life.

Matravers embarked on a spontaneous trip to East Asia last year, feeling dissatisfied with his music. He dedicated time to crafting new material before returning to Leicester to reunite with his bandmates in December.

The resulting track, “Othello,” is a blend of intricate and mellow hip-hop sounds, produced and composed by the artist, who met various collaborators during his travels.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QC_TP2U7L40

While discussing the track, Matravers described it as a “pun on a board game,” touching upon themes of trust, identity, and the destructive forces of unchecked emotions, including jealousy.

He elaborated: “Relationships – whether personal, romantic, or professional – are rarely straightforward, and the tough decisions often lead you to a point of no return. ‘Othello’ highlights that moment of uncertainty when someone exits your life, leaving a profound emptiness that can provoke possessiveness as you grapple with the unknown.”

This marks their first new release nearly a year after the group shared “TEARS,” their initial track under the new name in June, coinciding with the announcement of their name change. Upon their return as Hard Life, Matravers told NME: “I really don’t want people to overthink the name. I was nervous because, as a privileged person, I certainly did not have a hard life. This needs to be understood in context.”

He noted that he and his bandmates quickly agreed on the new name, adding, “We laughed at it, and none of us took it too seriously, but over time we explored a million other options and always returned to Hard Life, finding it amusing. It really resonated with us, embodying the most stereotypical aspects of a light existence.”

Moreover, he expressed that they did not plan to make major changes to their sound or image alongside the name shift. “I realized I love what I do, and I don’t want to change,” he explained. “The name change was clearly driven by legal reasons; aside from that, it was just a name.”

Last year, they performed their final show under their previous name after losing a legal battle for the name against Easygroup, the conglomerate behind EasyJet airlines. They opted to relinquish their group name to sidestep a costly legal dispute, even as Easygroup lawyers labeled “tears” as “derogatory and slanderous.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc7hbdgpzck

In his interview, Matravers mentioned that the group “desperately wanted to play live again” and described the summer festival circuit as inducing “extreme FOMO.” However, this summer, they plan to participate in a series of festival dates, performing at events like Y Not, Truck, and Live in Leeds.

NME reported on their final British show in October 2023, which marked their farewell under the old name, receiving a four-star review. Will Richards wrote: “Anger, joy, disappointment: everything is encapsulated here in a strangely unique finale for the group, whose journey continues to resonate with supporters both in person and online.”