@@teckreactionsHow To Be Me is Ren and Chinchilla, Dominoes is from Ren's album Freckled Angels. (I'd really recommend the title track from that album, too. The whole album is dedicated to a friend of Ren who took his own life.)
The nails of Chinchilla are something she wears as a costume, allowing her to assume a performer persona. She says she feels fearless when she puts on the nails and couldn’t did it without them.
Ren was prescribed a number of anti-psychotic drugs that he most likely didn't need. He was originally diagnosed with depression and chronic fatigue syndrome when in fact he had misdiagnosed Lyme disease. It took eight years before he got any treatment for the condition.
@@teckreactions Yes, he knew about the Lyme Disease by this point, so it is more about his previous experience being on medication that wasn't right for him, and how empty it made him feel. Right before he released Hi Ren he republished a short health vlog from the days before he had his diagnosis. It is HARD to watch, he thought he was dying. But it is a good way to understand how his journey has unfolded since.
@@teckreactionsyes and he had a stem cell transplant which helped him a lot. He is still getting intensive treatment in Calgary and has Been for over a year. The undiagnosed Lymes disease left him with brain damage and auto immunity. He can only eat a few foods still. Yet he gives us amazing music. He is so talented but he is also a bloody hard worker despite the challenges he has to fight.
@@teckreactions only for the ren reactions tho geez , if chalk outlines gave you goosebumps do how to be me live next with chinchilla and ren notching up the bar even more , closest thing your hear while we are here on earth 🌍 next to angels singing ..
As someone who is taking antidepressants since 15 years old and now I’m 48 and still on them, experiencing probably 10 different ones, it’s very common that they can literally death in your emotions. Not just the Lows but also the highs until it you often can’t feel much at all, not joy and not tears. I also take heavy anxiety medication‘s now. This song registers with me in a profound way. I truly believe Ren is talking about what these medication‘s (sertraline) make you feel. Being in a chalk outline= walking dead. Like you’re not even really a person anymore. But you do get too scared to stop them because you know that without them you’re gonna drop back again, but you long to feel some thing again. But the fear and anxiety return without them because you know one day at any time the other shoe will drop again. It is deep and heartbreaking. And is so relevant today is such a large percentage of people and young people are on this medications. I found this song and it’s lyrics to be absolutely profound. Thank you for doing this reaction. I always find them heartfelt and so interesting with your ability to hone in on the different cords and keys that evoke different emotions that he’s using. Please check out how to be me live with chinchilla. You can find the rap side of run by starting with hunger. Dominoes is a profound little song commenting on the state of society. A fun side Would be power and a great display of all of us talent would be the lyric video of Lost All Faith. And of course the Money Hame Trilogy. Amazing to see change from 1st with no budget in abandoned place, to 3rd with much more money and staff to create a cinematic masterpiece! Imagine Ren directing a show of movie with a real budget!!!! Wow, he could do anything.
As a psychiatric nurse over my long career many patients have described feeling hollow/ empty/ not themselves on anti depressant medication like sertraline. Just like floating around in a chalk outline.
**ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED** congratulations! You have discovered new ren friend chinchilla! She is amazing, has some other collabs with ren but also a lot of great solo stuff, definitely worth a trip down thst rabbit hole! 😊💜💜
Ren was prescribed all kinds of psych meds before he was correctly diagnosed, and I think he still takes 1 med to help manage his PTSD. He has a song Diazepam (generic for Valium) that speaks of his experience with it. He spoke in an interview that the withdrawal from it was tough. He has recently stopped engaging pot, which is legal in Canada, when he saw himself depending on it too much to go to sleep. He's pretty wise.
Chinchilla is an AMAZING fierce artist in her own right. You've got to check out her own solo work "Fingers", live on Hunger TV. She'll blow you away with her power and her theatricality.
Best female solo performance ever. And I don’t say that lightly. 🖐🏻😬 Chinchilla is an incredible talent….and just a little bit terrifying!!! In all seriousness her talent is on the scale of Janis Joplin or Stevie Nicks!
The opening of this song guts me. It took everything he had - he had to crawl - just to get into bed. But instead of finding rest, he's wishing for a new life. A new body, a new mind - to be someone else. For me, this song perfectly explains what it's like to have been in treatment for serious mental illness, especially Major Depressive Disorder. You comply, you go to therapy, you take the drugs. You've disconnected from the feelings of actively wanting to self-harm, but the trade-off is disconnecting from all your other emotions too. You feel numb and hollow. It feels like you're walking around in a bubble, and it feels like you're erasing yourself. Calling it a chalk outline is perfectly apt. All of Ren's posted collaborations are stellar, but I love his two with Eden Nash. They're both upbeat and have a somewhat island-y feel, especially "Humble." My favorite is "Ocean," which is a genre-bender for sure. But seriously, if you see Ren with anyone, it's awesome: Sam Tompkins, The Big Push, Chinchilla, Eden Nash, etc.
The song is about taking medication which may alleviate symptoms, but also take away a part of yourself. They sing about suppressing the anxiety, fear and depression with anything that works, even if only for a short time and covering over the cracks with a smile. 😢
There is a lyric video of this song. All of the imagery that surrounds the lyrics will give them the context to really get them. It was as masterfully put together as everything else Ren does. You probably don't need to react to it, but it will really give you a better appreciation of what you just saw.
For me, the phrase "walk around in a floating chalk outline" is the effect that anti-depressants and anxiety meds have on you. I take anti-depressants every day and it just kind of numbs you down. I'm not depressed, but do suffer from anxiety which is what the anti-depressants help with. But I can understand the feeling of physically you're there, but you kind of lose a bit of who you are from the meds. almost like being dead inside, hence the chalk outlines like you would see at a crime scene. The main line in "How to be Me" describes it perfectly as well, but I won't spoil anything for you
Such a happy sounding song with that touch of reggae that makes one think of sunshine and good vibes … but set in a damp, dank basement hallway … and the lyrics are just emotionally devastating. It’s an interesting dynamic.
Of all of his songs, this is one song that I could hear on rotation on radio. I actually emailed my local radio station and asked if they heard of him and what they thought of his music. I got a response from the radio director that admitted that this song is the one she was impressed with. Its a shame that radio caters to the big record label names so much
Love your channel and I think your reactions are totally genuine. You are absolutely part of the REN fam. The way you speak about him and his music just shows how much you are a RENegade. You are part of this ride. Ren can still surprise us and it doesn't matter if you jumped on the train a couple of years ago or last week. We all feel the same and that links us all. We have all jumped and none of us want to get off. Chinchilla is an awesome person. They met in Brighton and busked together. She is a rising star in her own right, just as the other members are in the big push ❤
Gallows. Platform with nooses and trap doors to stand on. Standing on his toes with noose around his neck before teap door falls open. Trying to breath (noise).
Place is never just a setting, here the acoustics also tell the story of the song, the opening of the chair demonstrates the echo of the place an empty space and the song emerges from that, as does Chinchilla who emeges from a corner and her choreography is dictated by the sound. She is his echo.
Compare it to the studio version, which is a lyric video on here. Done on a blackboard with chalk it tells the story in a slightly different way and you can see how the live version takes on a different slant due to place and space.
How to be me. Live version with Chinchilla. Beautiful. Glad you watched the million subscribers video. He is an amazing person and I love your reactions to his art.
The best musical “siblings”. Ren has called her his sister from another mister and a female version of himself due to their similar approach to music. For me I think it shows in the fact that they both have that something special that draws you in and demands attention. To see it fully for Chinchilla, check out her live version of Fingers. This song always reminds that one of the (many) things that makes Ren so great is his ability to know exactly when to be complex, keep it simple, or even use silence to get his message across. He isn’t flexing his guitar skills in this, just playing exactly what is needed with that beautiful guitar tone. And my favourite line in this is so simple, totally devoid of all the clever metaphors that he is so good at using, but it hits soooo hard: “I’m scared of being okay cause all things change”. I think anyone who has been through any struggles can relate to that feeling of not trusting that anything good will last. You can’t just enjoy it because you’re busy worrying about how long it will last and the feeling that will come when it’s gone. And then good days just make the darkness feel so much worse because you remember the light that’s gone… Ren is so special. He keeps being so relatable that it reminds us that we’re not alone. And we will always make room for more RENegades down the Ren rabbit hole cause we all need his light in the darkness 🐰🕳️ If you want more emotional singing from Ren, please check out one of my personal favourites: Crutch feat. Bibi. It’s an older song from before he was finally correctly diagnosed with Lyme disease and was written after a breakdown following multiple emergency trips to the hospital. It is heart wrenching and beautiful.
Don’t ask if you apart of the renagade because every one that has struggled is definitely a part of all of us he is the voice of the unspoken . We all try to live perfect with a world full of flaws. Great reaction thanks 🙏
Unusual intervals with the harmony? Makes it more emotional. Minor 7th again? Reminds me a bit of my late partner and my younger self. Looked and sounded different, but it worked. This song was as welcome to see and hear as "Hi Ren" for the meaining.
I think the difference between the "drowning" line in Sick Boi and "trace ourselves" is that the drowning is an uncontrollable symptom and tracing is a choice on some level, even if (especially if?) the choice is a rock and a hard place...kind of goes along with the we do this to ourselves theme that runs through most of his work
@@teckreactions the beauty of Ren is he deliberately leaves parts of his vision to individual interpretation. I personally subscribe to the idea that everything is connected and is a choice, including butterfly effects, and that sometimes choices feel limited in the moment but we still have choices, so this interpretation appeals to me. Doesn't mean I'm right tho....Kenny Rogers said "every hands is a winner and every hand is a loser" depending on the cards you keep or throw away. Sometimes we can miss the big picture but if do what we think is right maybe we win more often than we lose?
Great reaction! To me, this song is about the struggles of mental health problems and the side effects of medication. How mood stabilizers can leave you feeling hollow and disconnected. And how they can be a crutch you need, but are afraid to let go of. I think it can easily be generalized to self medication with alcohol, drugs, or even habits that may help you cope in the short term but become detrimental in the long term. Thank you for this!
I have cPTSD. I see the criticism of psychotropic meds here, but also personally look at this as the medicine allowing me space and time to fill in my own chalk outline with new, and not destructive, habits. Of course with lots of therapy and support. Just my $.02.
@@Libbydoh I sorry to hear that, but glad that you are going in the right direction. I don't know how Ren intended this to be perceived but my comment was not intended as a blanket critique of psychotropic medications. My personal belief is that they are a tool, and for the right job they can absolutely be a net positive on the road to recovery. The whole topic is too complicated and nuanced to make any generalized statements about. But my feeling about the song is that he shines a spotlight on the struggles that road to recovery entails. Side effects can be one thing; an underfunded and over burdened medical system that tries the 'easy fix' of medicating away the problem as their first approach another; the very understandable struggle of coping with uncertainty and not feeling like yourself while you are transitioning from who you were to who you can be, can also be a part of it. Doubt an fear that any perceivable improvements may only be temporary and lead to false hope. I think they do a good job at conveying the experience without necessarily vilifying the medication. Chinchillas line '...there's a pill for everything' reminds me of the saying 'if all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail'.
Love Ren and Chinchilla together. You definitely need to watch How To Be Me (live) as well. Some of the lyrics in this song hit so hard. Such a beautiful song. Check out some of Chinchilla's solo work as well. She is amazing! 💜💜
Great reaction Renegade! Chinchilla is amazing. How to be me!! is a definite must hear. He talks about his drug use a little in the song "Power" To see Ren when he was going through the bad part of his sickness check out the song Crutch with bibi
Have you already done Crutch featuring Bibi? He was in the middle of hell and lyme disease had not been diagnosed yet. He truly thought he was going to die. Heart wRENching to watch ❤
This is such a fun song to sing even though the subject is pretty heavy. As someone with chronic illnesses I'm used to spending a considerable amount of time in bed & when I'm having really bad pain because I dared to like go out & have fun I absolutely wish I'm someone else when I wake up
Oh I'm so glad you chose this one. It gets me every time. It's all too relatable at the moment. I have been burying myself with a great big smile for too long and I've realised that I can't do it any longer or I will break. The live version of How To Be Me is another amazing collab between Ren and Chinchilla ❤
I really liked this one. It's definitely one of the more "listenable" songs, like I'd throw it on in the car. I also see it from a Christian perspective where, when we are stuck in a pattern of sin, without leaning on Jesus to carry the weight of sin and remind us of our freedom, we are only walking corpses refusing to acknowledge that we are already dead.
Hey my friend hope you are well! Chinchilla is incredible. Her nails are part of her “act” she only wears them when performing. You should check these out of hers/ her and Ren. 🖤 How to be me live (R&C) Sexual healing (R&C) One dance/drunk in love (R&C) Fingers live Cut you off Little girl gone Elements MF diamond Fabulous
Commenting while watching. First things first - hit like - before I even watch the video haha. 1) Are you a Renegade? If you are a fan of Ren, and a person who helps other people - you are a Renegade, knowledge of Ren's backstory is not necessary to be a Renegade, you will learn as you go through his catalogue, just like we all did. Floating Chalk Outline is we believe (certainly those of us who suffer) the feeling of being emotionally numb when on various anti depression / anxiety medication, you are alive and on the outside at least you look like you, but inside you don't feel you, at all. Chinchilla's line hammers that home with "don't cry, there's a pill for everything. Take this one, wash it down. The feeling goes and you draw a chalk outline". As for a new habit just for a while, it could be drugs, but it could really be anything - basically something new to distract yourself for a short while, to make you feel like it's worth getting up in the morning. But, they never last long, because the distraction wears off. (Though I am pleased to say, watching people reacting to Ren - has lasted more than the usual 3 months that my habits last for). For what it's worth if you manage to catch him - Ren is supposed to be live on Twitch (RenMakesTwitch) today to spend a little bit of his Birthday with us. Ren is a beautiful soul, if you manage to go back and watch Freckled Angels Live - which he performed just 8 months after Joe took his life, you'll see that Ren hasn't changed - he has always been so genuine.
You express so much love and appreciation in your reactions to Ren! Thank you!🙏 Being a Renegade it touches my heart ❤️🫠 Subbed to follow your journey down the inspirational Ren rabbit hole ❤️🔥
Chinchilla's fantastic! Check out their other collab: How to be Me, and check out her solo stuff like Cut You Off, Little Girl Gone, and MF Diamond, Fingers (live version is best!)
I don't know if you noticed that Chinchilla didn't have a mic. 🎤 Her voice is so powerful that she used Ren's mic. 👍 By the way, you ask a lot of questions about Ren and medication and abuse etc.. Here's a link from Wikipedia for you to read. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren_Gill Love from Norway 🇳🇴
I think this was actually released at the end of 2021. Ren signed a contract with Sony in 2010 as part of the band Trick The Fox, he was already ill by then and by 2021 he had to stop recording for the album, and his contract expired. He was pretty much out of action for the next 5 or 6 years other than short busking sessions when he felt able. In 2016 he released the Album Freckled Angels, about half of which were songs recoded for Trick The Fox. That was to fund his search for a diagnosis and treatment, I think it was around then that he got the diagnosis in Belgium, and started his recovery. He seems then to have built his busking career with The Big Push and got management, this piece is from that period. Though he was doing great work he didn't agree with with the constraints on what he was doing, he wanted to do a Rap Album. He broke with them and Hi Ren and the Sick Boi UK number 1 Album followed.
@@teckreactions Chinchilla was with the same management and label which she broke from in 2022. She has said they she channeled all her rage from that experience into her music, particularly Little Girl Gone which she released independently and went viral with in April 2023. It was on the strength of this hit that she leveraged signing with UMG’s Island Records under her own Chinchilla Ltd imprint. I’m enjoying your reactions very much, thanks 😊
In my understanding, this song is about the effects of antidepressants/anti-anxiety medications, and the struggles that come with them. Thankfully I don't speak from my own experience, but apparently, at least in lots of cases, those meds don't really make you feel better, but rather feel numb to everything, so you don't feel depressed or anxious, but also don't feel much of anything else, to the point that you're a walking outline of yourself. So on days when you're "feeling ok", you may struggle whether or not to take them, as things can change and you may not be ok later, so you end up taking them just in case.. and becoming an outline... Also see his song/video Diazepam, on a similar theme.
I think you’ll really enjoy REN’s song, Genesis, both musically and lyrically, but since you’re a drummer, I think you need to hear him actually rap; he likens singing to instruments, and rapping to rhythm, drums.
PS: he self produces, and directs his own videos, makes all his own beats, defies genre, categorization, and is quite extraordinary on both guitar and piano.
Daisy says her nails help her to perform. She has her own unique style, check out how to be me next and then some chinchilla solo stuff, Cut you off is awesome.
Chinchilla is an extremely strong woman, with a bit of self awareness that is visible if you are aware enough. She is wild and coarse in her expression within her own music, but if my 9 year old daughter ever chose her as a model, I would support it 100%. Chinchilla won't allow herself to be objectified and will fight off anyone trying to control her or take advantage of her. She is authentic and unique. She's a beautiful human being. Did I mention Chinchilla's Fingers, Live for Hunger TV. Did I mention how amazing that is? 🎉🎉🎉
Brother you're only a renegades if you choose to be. Theres sign up form admitance fee or initiation. You just gotta love Rens music and spread the love. Seems like you're doing just that. Thank you for your genuine reactions. Peace
Chinchilla is the female version of Ren. Please please react to their duet on ‘How to be me’. Also check out her solo work. My fav is ‘Fingers’ live for Hunger TV. Her voice on that blows my mind. Peace x
Thank you for doing this song, “how to be me” ıs there other song, chinchilla is amazing and ren has saıd he is cooking two more songs with chinchilla which were done last January whether they will be on his nu album ıdk
Chinchilla is yet another rabbit hole to dive in to!! Do check out 'VERO Presents: CHINCHILLA - FINGERS Live for HungerTV' Ren has the monopoly of crappy basements/squats/abandoned buildings in and around Brighton! 😃
To put on the playlist: The Tale of Jenny & Skreech, The Money Game (pt 1-3) and Ren X Chinchilla (live). The latter will give you vocal and feeling goose bumps for sure.
The gallows are where people are hung. So he's on his toes trying to keep the rope loose enough to breath. Just in case it wasn't said already. Love this song too!
Chinchilla is an amazing artist in herown right. You should check her out. Her nails are part of her character as Chinchilla. No, she doesn't wear them day to do just in music videos or on stage
After Your Commentary Pauses Which I Appreciate . . . Back - Tracking 3 - 6 - 9 Seconds Before Restarting Would Also Be Appreciated . A Very Nice Reaction .
Ahhh….man. Love this song. I think most of the drug references in this song are about the many, many, many, different anti-depressants and mood stabilizers he was on when he was misdiagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome and depression. Chinchilla even says “setraline” which I know of as being used to treat ADHD. I know he has done recreational drugs in the past. It seems like mostly marijuana. I know he was on benzodiazepines for awhile, but I think they were prescribed. In the song “power” he mentions snorting something when he was 16. It doesn’t come across as being ashamed of it…it’s more like, “this is a dumb thing I did.” I don’t have a a suggestion for the next song. He doesn’t have one that I don’t like. However…I decided to make drummer jokes a running theme. 😁 So, how does a drummer tell a knock knock joke? He knocks too early and comes in late. Cheers!
Ren x Chinchilla How to Be Me Live, Busking Sexual Healing, Busking Drake/Beyonce mash up (can't think of the names of the 2 songs off the top of my head, sorry, brain fog.) Chinchilla Fingers Live, Little Girl Gone, Cut You Off and MF Diamond are newest. She's amazing!!!❤
neck in a noose he was misdiagnosed for years one of the main misdiagnosed i have seen because a friend i worked with got lime disease was ms and for 10 years they told my friend he had MS
@@teckreactions i watch a very strong man younger than me by 12 years turn from fun loving induvial to a man that has no balance and needed a cane some people now are still misdiagnosed we have to let them know they are not alone and get them help
Chinchilla has severe stage fright so she dons her nails and wears an outfit that she designed to create a persona for herself. The song Cut You Off is excellent hip hop. The song 1:5 is where she goes Adele. I love Chinchilla and she's just coming out with more and more excellent songs.
This song is a very good measuring stick to see the quality of the reactor. If they immediately go to chinchillas nails first and say so nonsense about them then you can just click off the video unless you're looking for some base level immature "comedic" reactions. If you're into that kind of thing I implore you watch this reaction till the end
Considering I literally mention her nails for about 2.4 seconds, you didn’t watch the whole thing. But thanks for the additional view! Does the video well 😁