First Time Watching "Hi Ren" by Ren (reaction) This one surprised me 

Being 55 I haven't been able to find much music from the newer generations that move me. This performance was a punch in the chest. I was a CNA at Cedars Sinai hospital for eight years and worked with a lot of mentally ill patients. This song was a musical representation of what I would see some patients going through. This video was tough to watch but I couldn't turn away. Really beautiful work.

I think it is a masterpiece. It touches my soul, every time I hear it

Here is some information on Ren's story, in case you didn't already know. I gathered it from old newspaper interviews, articles, and Ren's livestreams and posts where he discussed his condition. Ren Eryn Gill is a British musician/independent artist; born in Wales on March 29, 1990, he grew up in Brighton. Ren pursued a career in music from an early age. In 2009, while studying music performance at Bath Spa University, he began to experience health issues and was struggling to attend his lectures. In 2010, he was signed by Sony Records and was working on an album when his health deteriorated to the point where he was unable to continue and subsequently dropped by Sony. Ren's illness often kept him in bed for up to 23 hours daily. Ren was initially misdiagnosed with depression, bipolar disorder, and chronic fatigue syndrome, which led him to experience psychosis. It would take seven years before a doctor in Belgium finally correctly diagnosed Ren with autoimmunity, Lyme disease, and resulting damage to the brain, organs, joints, and PTSD. Ren eventually underwent stem cell therapy in the United States, which improved his health, but it has not been a cure. Ren is currently in Canada for more treatments, including surgeries, and will have to be there for at least six months (Summer of 2023). Ren’s Canadian doctor discovered that Ren also developed a condition called Mast Cell Activation Disorder, which has affected the myelin sheath in his brain, his thyroid, adrenals, as well as his bones/joints. Ren stated: "It's a lot to wrap my head around having to be away from friends, family, and a successful career, and almost feels like a total juxtaposition to the fact that my music is blowing up right now and spreading to all corners of the world, but that's life, we take the good with the bad." Ren’s recent wisdom tooth removal went well, but he is currently battling an infection following cavitation surgery, and he is not feeling well. Let's keep supporting Ren as he undergoes his treatments. Check out and subscribe to his channel, listen to some of his earlier work, like and comment on his performances, and let's lift Ren's spirits. If you are a believer, pray for him. Ren is an artist with something to say to this generation, and his work is needed in these troubling times. Here is the link to Ren’s GoFundMe page to raise money for his current treatment. www.gofundme.com/f/ren-get-better-from-lyme-disease-and-autoimmunity

I was hoping that you would react to this artist. As always, great reaction and an intelligent, thoughtful commentary. “Hi Ren" is the song that put Ren on everyone's radar since December; it went viral and has garnered more than 6 million views since its debut, but he has been creating great music for more than ten years. Ren’s music videos are generally recorded live, often in a single take, although not necessarily the first take, and from various camera angles. His release, "Sick Boi," is almost another chapter to "Hi Ren." Many of Ren’s songs resonate with people because he addresses struggles that many others face every day. Ren plays multiple instruments (acoustic, electric, and bass guitar, piano, drums), has impressive vocals, is an excellent storyteller, and is quite the philosopher and poet. He is considered by many a modern bard; he calls his music “bardcore.” Ren’s earliest recordings on RU-vid are from his time in a band called “Trick The Fox,” consisting of Ren and his buddies Charlie and Tommy. Unfortunately, the band performed only briefly due to Ren’s onset of health issues. They are very talented. A fun clip to watch is “The Mash Up.” Ren’s trilogy "The Tale of Jenny/Screech/Violet" has been likened to a Shakespearean tragedy and is a prime example of his genius; it is a master’s class in storytelling. The three acts are haunting, and the conclusion will catch you off guard. The trilogy needs to be watched in the order given, as this is the flow of the storyline and is best watched as a whole rather than piecemeal. Ren’s collaborations with Chinchilla (“Chalk Outlines,” “How to Be Me,” “Sexual Healing,” “One Dance/Drunk in Love”) are beautiful and showcase his singing voice. His live music videos are especially impressive. Ren's personal reflections are threaded through many of his songs; "Insomnia," "Depression," “Diazepam," “Penitence,” “Dear God,” “Heretic,” “Dominos,” his "Freckled Angels" album, just to name a few, all deserve a listen. His song "Money Game" (Part I & II) is another recommendation, although it is less of a personal song than it is an indictment of greed and the resulting injustices in this world. Ren’s Hip Hop/Rap style songs are all worth checking out if you enjoy this genre; they are pretty amazing. Check out “The Hunger,” “Genesis,” “What You Want,” “Losing it (FISHER rap retake),” “Right here, right now (Fatboy Slim one shot retake),” "Life is Funny," “Love Music (Parts 1, 2, and 3),” “Crucify Your Culture,” “Power,” and his latest release, “Bittersweet symphony (The Verve retake).” As I recently discovered, Ren also recorded a cover of “Can't Help Falling In Love (Elvis Cover),” that is simply beautiful. Then there are his performances with Sam Tompkins (“Blind Eyed,” “Earned it /Mans World / Falling,” “Walking on the moon/No Diggity”), Eden Nash (“Humble,” “Ocean”), Bibi (“Crutch,” “Ahiahiaoha”), Molly McKinna (“Penitence”), his former bandmate, Romain Axisa (“French Song”), which are all great. "The Big Push" busking sessions, concerts, and live recordings all are awesome and well worth checking out. Their covers of "I Shot the Sheriff/Road to Zion/Hip Hop," "Wade in the Water/Nina Simone/Trouble so Hard," "An Englishman in New York," “Bongo Bong,” “War Pigs,” the songs "Oh My Woman," “Swan Song,” “Sweet Little Lady," "It's Alright," "Watch Out," “Dignity,” and so many others are equally impressive. In anticipation of his stay in Canada for more treatments, Ren prepared some music ahead of time to be released over the next six months that he expects to be gone. He released “Sick Boi” and “Bittersweet Symphony (The Verve retake),” which is another masterful work.

I just saw this video like two weeks ago and just watched 3 new reviews of it last night. This guy's blowing up and he deserves is with this song.

This man is a rabbit hole. His catalogue is very diverse.

Great reaction! Ren is a musical maestro, a lyrical laureate, a storytelling savant, a genius of genres, an inventive instrumentalist, a minstrel of Shakespearean manifestation, a warrior poet and a percipient prodigy. Forged in fire Ren rises like a phoenix from the flames. I know it sounds a bit sycophantic, but seriously considering all his trials in life he deserves some recognition for his art!

Check out Ren - The Tale of Jenny and Screech (full) - It's a trilogy of short songs that need to be listened through in order together and I would consider it a piece of modern day Shakespearean poetry. It's a tough listen but very moving.

I cannot remember if I mentioned this in your comments, but I am happy you listened to it rather than reacting to every line. This song deserves to be listened to and heard. When I first heard this I cried as it resonated with me so strongly. I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis 12 years ago and it is a constant losing battle even with disease-modifying drugs it keeps taking parts of me, and my life and shatters my relationships. People like to say don't let it define you, but when you wake up and cannot feel your feet, or hand, or legs, or see out of one eye, it does define and scar/e you. The line about clumsy feet I have lived but my learning to relax was mental and not physical. I cannot change how I move but how I think about it. I am not disabled, crippled or less than. People view me with sympathy and that is the hardest look to take. I am stronger now because of what I am carrying. I have time to be creative, to live in my head, to read, and hopefully grow. Yes, this song affected me. I have written songs and poems about how my disease affected me but, I was not strong enough to share.

It's a great song. A great performance. That onc transcends all our boundries and speaks to all people. There's something really special about it.

Lets all appreciate Jens Randolff for the dedicated mindset of helping everyone understand the story of Ren and why you feel the #Renergy

Thank you for reacting to Hi Ren. Although music is not normally what you react to, I definitely saw when this performance touched you as it has touched many people so far. If you like literary arts, then Ren just might be up your alley. He performed a literary trilogy called “The Tale of Jenny and Screech (Full)”, which is a three part performance of a story written by Ren of three people whose lives are come together in a surprising twist. It’s truly Shakespearean in scope and well worth a reaction to share your thoughts with us.😊

As a musician and guitarist this song blew me away. Even as powerful as the lyrics are, his use of going from minor chords (evil) and major chords (good) and diminished chords on transitions and chromatic runs is just as powerful. I truly feel if you only heard the guitar you would still understand the message.

WOW!! Thanks for introducing me to Ren, how fascinating.

What a wonderful, thoughtful reaction. This piece never fails to touch me deeply no matter how many times I hear it. It speaks to so many of us on so many levels and carries an amazing message of hope, inner strength and acceptance. Ren is a modern day bard and storyteller with an amazing gift for communicating direct to peoples emotions.

That was beautiful. Thanks for sharing it with us!

You are seriously awesome

Reacting to music isn't necessarily about dissecting the music theory or the vocal mechanics, it's about connecting to the music as a human being, and offering your thoughts on it from that perspective. I'm glad that you would like to hear this song again, as it reveals more with each subsequent listen. As for more Ren should you choose to dig deeper - his song Chalk Outlines (live) w/ Chinchilla is a very simple four chord song that will hit you just as hard as this one. And Genesis is a great way to see Ren healthier and happier, and rapping like a beast over a very nice self-produced beat.

'My music is really connecting, and the people who find it respect it.' He should get that tattooed on his forearm so he never forgets it. That line always gets me. 'Good Ren' generates so much sympathy from me. And I get actually angry watching 'Bad Ren' tear into him.

It's not just a song. It's therapeutic musical theatre. He busks in Brighton UK and has produced other tracks which are pretty potent. You do need to see it again and again. It's very deep and has been seen by more people than any other track, because it speaks to the internal dialogue inside all of us, allbeit not so extreme in most of us. He is also a VERY good musician and the production of this video is quite exceptional. Simple use of 2 cadences with the same tune + 2 lights and changing posture is quite astonishingly effective. ART

It was moving to watch you react to this. I relate to this video in a few different ways. He touched on so many things and worded those feelings so precisely. This pendulum reminds me of icarus and how I realized I was in a loop.

Call me creepy but your body language tells me all i need to know about your genuinity and emotional intelligence. Definitely one of my favourite channels without a doubt., especially with your general intelligence and the substance you add to educational videos. And you sometimes upload in HDR too, which I don't think ive ever seen another channel do. Sorry for the compliments though, Guilty Conscience is from 1999, if that's any compensation for the cringe I just induced.

I came for the song and stayed for the reactor... you're amazing!

I have severe mental illness. These cerebral battles never end for people like me. I am an artist, and in that way these words also resonate. People typically ignore those like me, because the challenges we present are too complex and often too painful. I get it. It is very rare to be like me and feel seen, but that is what Ren achieved in this song. I enjoyed your reaction. Your expressions are subtle, but real. Have a good life. Go places.

A Polish friend of mine put me onto Ren, he has some serious talent at telling a story to music.

I am excited to watch this! I have watched about 50+ reactions to this video and also I have been enjoying your content for a good few months now. So this is a nice treat. :-)

Thanks for posting this video. I visited his channel and subscribed. Have great admiration for those that rise up and continue to grow and participate in life against all odds.

“There’s no long intro, so let’s just start.” 5 seconds in and you got me. Subscribed.

Two of my favs! NoPro and Ren! Please react to more of his work and his band The Big Push!

One day Ren will be up on stage in your picture behind you in "Legend Theatre" and all the Legends there would be too happy to have him up there with them. The Great Gig in the Sky. But not until Ren is a very old man. We need Ren around for a long time I loved your reaction. It was really beautiful, just like you!

Like so many others including myself I have friends and family who suffer from mental illness. Ren is a very talented artist who has been around for several years. This is without a doubt his most viral song and with good reason, it touches a something that every single person on earth can relate to. A few other songs I would recommend by him are “Jenny’s Tale” “Blind Eyed” and “Sick Boi”. Sick Boi is a more recent song, the other two are older titles.

Your reaction was one of the most honest, just because I watch a lot of your videos and words don't really feel fail you. You always pretty much say exactly what you're thinking and this is the first time I thought you were kind of really searching but you are too busy feeling .... being human

The ending with the dance you can take it so many ways. The light and the dark could be a reference to the good and evil that we all have inside of us.. Humanity can produce art that is moving and wonderful, we love, we create But that exact same humanity produces war destruction, death, we hate, we destroy. Angels and demons are either good or bad. There’s no gray area unlike humanity. And the dance is that struggle between the two different parts of humanity. You can also view the light and dark as the ups and down of life. That really is the wonderful thing about art, it can mean something so different depending on the individual. Rant over, enjoyed the reaction as always thank you for taking the time to view this masterpiece of creatively

Madam, as astute and heartfelt as always. Spot on with the religious connotation without singling out a specific denomination. “I will rise from the east and settle on the ocean floor” “Just as sure as the night has dawn” “A pendulum swinging from the dark to the light” …the sun, and we all know how heliocentric all faiths embrace… along with every frickin’ euphemism relating to uplifting, it’s a pretty cool ride 🤪

It's a work of art. Severe pñysical and some mental pain laid out for us in supremely digestible form. Ren is a very savvy guy in the way he builds his videos. The little things count

Finally! I've been suggesting this for a month, great job!

Great reaction lady !! Thank you I really enjoyed that !! Thanks🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

This is certainly an audio/visual experience - his catalogue is immense though and he has some crazy beautiful music

First time seeing one of your videos, and I want to give you mad props for using the term "soliloquy"! :) Also, you have awesome enunciation.

I enjoy seeing youtubers getting their minds blown with musical art. I have watched and listened to a couple hundred HI REN reactions and look for new youtubers, to me,and you got a new subscriber in me. Keep doing what ya doin. KEEP MOVING FORWARD. 🤜🤛 SHARING IS CARING 1 more subscriber for your channel towards 100k😁 Ren's music is the word that is like the song needed for peace in BILL AND TEDS movie,from WYLD STALLIONS.

Thank you for sharing this. Not exactly the kind of music that would normally show up on my radar. Triggered powerful goosebumps when the singing piece came along and that doesn't happen to me that often anymore. Wow.

I've never clicked a video so fast! Great reaction! I always love your insights!

You're one of my favorite reaction channels.

Your facial expressions explained it all perfectly. It takes a while to digest and comprehend the sheer depths to just this one song from Ren.

very nice reaction. you should continue down the ren rabbit hole. chalk outlines is amazing and completely different.

Great reaction. Ren is a lot to take in. He's a journey. Enjoy, should you go there

I've seen this come up on other reactors' channels and skipped them over, but glad I tuned in this time. It's very touching and poetic and I think most of us can relate to the experience of having two conflicting (and even threatening) voices within.

Waited for this reaction for some time, and finally! :) Thanks for this. What I got from following people discover Ren is that almost all are left speechless at the end. Loved how you describe "how he managed to make religion references without alienating people who aren't religious". Definetly requires more than one listen to catch everything what he said. Thanks! Loved the video! :)

This made me think about stories I’ve heard of artists and philosophers who put enormous pressure on themselves as young people to do something exceptional, to really stand out, and in the process really damage their mental health. This idea that you have to mine your soul and suffer for your art can be toxic. It makes me think of a few things. I remember an interview with Gene Wilder who spent time in psychiatric care. He said that if you are truly talented then you don’t have to do bring it so far, you can afford to take care of yourself. There’s a Japanese anime called Tekkonkinkreet about two young brothers Black and White and the tension between them like some tortured internal dynamic dialogue taking place in someone’s mind. The soundtrack to this movie is really lovely and gets the tone just right. And the movie Soul from Pixar that pushes back against the idea that we all have to have a singular purpose in life and that simply existing and experiencing can be enough.

Reacting to music is about the emotion - most people don't want a detailed breakdown....Just how it made you feel. Enjoyed this one.

Beautiful reaction, luv. Thank you for sharing your thoughts 🥰🙏🏽❤️

My favorite part is when he yodels at the end. It's subtle but he brings you with him when they combine... it's almost like a celebration

He has another track with an artist called Chinchilla which is more traditional singing and it is hauntingly beautiful, I sincerely hope that you bless us with a reaction to it there is a video titled 'Ren x Chinchilla Chalk outlines live' which I consider is the best version, the filming style is similar to this video. I will leave a link below in case you do find time to do it and if you do not I would still like to thank you for the work you put in keeping us entertained. Blessings from the UK

I don’t think anyone would expect an in-depth assessment of arrangements or the use of scales or modes, but you seem like an incredibly bright young lady- I doubt you’d be out of your depths on many things related to simply giving your opinion or input. Great reaction!!

this is just the tip of the iceberg. his work with chinchilla is fantastic. also - jenny /Screech / Violets tale - its a real deal must watch. also can channel bob marley. his range is crazy.

I'm an emotional vampire (Sounds more dramatic than I mean it), but I SOOOO enjoyed feeding off of u 2nite. U have a very deep mind, and seeing u vibe to this art piece has revig'd my own soul. Thx2Uz......

Enjoyed watching your reactions. I have watched multiple reactions to this song. His catalog is vast & diverse. Have been on a journey discovering his music!

This is the first reaction of yours that I've seen. You are awesome.

Ren's tallent and this song caught me by surprise. I've watched at least two dozen different people do reaction video's. I love to watch their physical reactions as they are seeing Ren for their first time ! I could tell this songs effects on you were much like they are on many people, myself included. Thank you for sharing this !

Oh wow! This is so unexpected. Ren is an incredibly talented musician, performer and story teller. I love Ren and enjoy rewatching videos of the big push performing covers on the streets. I think they disbanded this year (but I might be wrong).

Two minds that I really respect finally coming together ❤

Just found your channel. You are my favorite reactionist

excellent reaction, first time viewer. love ur accent 👍

I love this song but also would not listen to it while walking down the street. This is more a work of art to be enjoyed in video form. I'd love to see you react to The Tale of Jenny and Screech by Ren as it similarly is a piece of performance art. I would reccommend that you check out his more traditional songs in your own time, as you are not a music reactor, if you are interested in hearing more from him.

Damn you are a gem in the rough, your perspective is valuable and nice to hear 😂😊

As for many people, I'm sure, I've found the uniquely talented person that is Ren by first watching this video. You're right, it is essential to watch it. Down in the Ren rabbit hole you'll find his busking with immensely talented musicians, songs you probably would listening on the move. His rapping, duets and laid back catchy covers with The Big Push, fantastic stuff. By the way, I love your channel, you cover some thought provoking and funny stuff with great insights. In terms of covering music? Just to say, I think you'd be excellent at it! Of course there are some excellent musicians, sound engineers, voice coaches etc that bring expert perspective if you like, but equally, some of the best reactors are like you and me, listeners! So, don't be afraid you dip your toes into the music waters again!

Thank you for reacting to Hi Ren. The content on your channel never fails to interest me, but this was different. Your reaction was my first introduction to Ren, but I've immersed myself in his music and storytelling over the past several weeks. Ren is a rare individual, and his art is important. It's important to share our struggles, whether they're internal or external, acute or chronic, mental or physical, or something else entirely. Discovering others who relate or share similar experiences can help very lonely people feel less alone, and chronic illness and mental illness can be so very isolating. Ren is so articulate about his struggles and is clearly bringing people together. It's amazing to witness, so thank you again. 💜

This two sided battle already started in the opening part with the guitar play. It went from an almost classical style to sounding like someone not playing very good (all with artistic intentions) something (among other things) and saw you noticed it, most don't. We all dance some dance even when we try not to show you. Given your level of intelligence, well we would love to hear more on how you think and react to deep art like this. I saw something in you today I yet to see in any other reaction you did to date. You was 'closer to the surface'...

My first reaction to Ren was... "that's it, melt every music award past, present & future." Ren is a genius- a once in a lifetime talent.

Thank you for all of your reactions. I've not seen any other content creator who arrives at a song, video, or view, with no preconceived idea or prejudice. You're a wonderful and even minded creator. Thank you for this

this was trippy, i finished it without words to express what i feel after listening to it, i just wanna sink in my mind and vibe about everything he said, i also took two secs to check the eminem song, we never really stop to think aboult all this duality in moralily that makes us what we are who we are. it is a good first step to learn and be a better self

Love your reactions.

Thank you for the great into to this video I never heard of them before. I would not have known to look for him.

Came for the fresh take on "Hi Ren". Staying/subscribing for the intelligence, wit, and monolid shaped eyes.

This song and video really are brilliant and the combination of the song, his performance and the video production is almost like performance art. I was totally blown away the first time I saw it because it hit a little too close to home in regard to inner conflict and self-doubt when I was young (and currently to a degree), which ultimately caused me to abandon my childhood dream of being a professional full-time musician and pursue a "safe and stable" profession (which I have regretted ever since).

Nice to see a good, honest, thoughtful reaction.

The first time I saw this I thought of William Blake. He's a master of multiple crafts, has had mental health battles, believes in the human spirit and immortality, and creates art that's empowering in the full sense of the word. They share all those things. This guy is one to watch and yeah, he will be great.

Would just like to say that I think you are special,you bring a ray of sunshine into my life.

This song made me cry. I love this guy. You have to hear "Dominoes"

I wish there was an option other than "like" for this reaction... I'm very much a classic rock kind of guy, but this was powerful beyond words...

You're an interesting individual. Very much enjoying your take on things.

Wow that was quite a ride.

Beautiful, thank you. ❤🙏

I’m surprised this video has been slept on - this is my first introduction to this song - I think this is… spookily relatable, not specifically for the multiple personality factor, but from the internal-second-guess aspect of it that seemingly everybody has

This got me!New sub!

Ren is amazing. He has been changing the landscape of songwriting and video clip. Check out his series of videos Money Game 1, 2, 3.

Your mind, gives me hope for the world future, today, I’ll breathe, less tense.

Your hair looks great here. 💚

Loved reaction

WOW ......need to watch that again, also good to see when a reviewer, knows when to stop talking

Great reaction

Hope you see some of this other work, especially chalk outlines

probably 3rd time watching is when i got all I could from it and it was allot to take in. its more of a theatrical experience. Its unique, Different and interesting. Dude has some Talent.

I always cry when I hear this. It hits so close to home. It's just so deeply human

Genius is a word often spoken without thought. I believe Ren is a genius,and they only appear rarely. He's the Shakespeare of our time.

Incredibly powerful

This young man is brilliant, a one-man opera bringing raw insight to this life and hope to millions... and even more as we share.

This was one take. Took three attempts to do. Close ups filmed separately. Ren's videos and music so diverse from Rap to reggae to rock. His band The Big Push also worth checking out. They're all guitarists and writers really gel when playing. Samuel Perry-Falvey, Ren's friend films the videos and they had a budget of £1000 for this masterpiece.

Hi Ren is much like certain movies and even documentaries - Hard to listen to, and doubly hard to listen to twice, but something everyone needs to listen to at least once.

I first found this song about 2 months ago. I now search out reaction videos like this because I want to know how it affects other people. In a world of musical banality, this is absolute genius...