Thank you for your honest and genuine reaction. Ren's best friend, Joe Hughes, committed suicide on the 27th of December, 2010 by jumping off the Menai Bridge, a large suspension bridge connecting the mainland to the Isle of Anglesey where Ren and Joe lived. Ren alluded to it in one of his songs, stating that he lost his best friend before he was 25. The pain of this loss is evident in a few of his songs. "How to Be Me," "Freckled Angels," "Su!cIde," and this release, “To Joe,” are specifically dedicated to Joe. Ren recently posted some background on his relationship with Joe and the tragic suicide. Ren explained that he got a call from his friend Ella around 3 am saying that Joe was on the Menai Bridge, He’d been on the phone with her in tears saying goodbye. He told her to tell everyone he loved them. Ren went out on foot attempting to get to Joe while trying to reach him on the phone. Just minutes before Ren got to the bridge, his friend's cell phone went out of service. The Coast Guard started a search to no avail. Ren, friends, and volunteers unsuccessfully searched the shoreline for ten days; Joe’s body was never recovered. Ren’s song "Su!cIde" gutted me, and I was not able to watch or listen to it again until now. I have not even been able to watch a single reaction to it. It was a sad, haunting, gut-wrenching tribute. My best friend took his life 38 years ago. However, after listening to "For Joe" several times, I came to the realization that as sad and emotional as this song is, it has had a healing effect on me and has given me a sense of closure. Even the lyrics of the epilogue from "Su!cIde" that "gutted" me impacted me differently this time around. Anthony Ray (@AnthonyRay) said after reacting to this performance (I am paraphrasing) that he felt that after all these years, Ren seems to have found a measure of acceptance regarding the loss of his best friend. Anthony's comment suddenly made me aware of the song's impact on me, and I am actually able to watch or listen to "Su!cIde" again. Although I will probably not watch any reactions to it, as I consider this song to be much too personal, and watching someone else's grief would only compound my pain. Thomas Goldschmidt (@thomasgoldschmidt298) remarked, "For Joe" is a continuation of "Su!cIde," displaying the five stages of grief, adding acceptance to the end of his last song…..This song and the sobbing hug he received from Joe's mom after showing the video bring closure to all involved! I think ending "For Joe" with lines from "Freckles Angels" left me with a more optimistic outlook. It is as if Ren is trying to tell us that even though some of our loved ones are physically gone from our life, their memory continues to live in and through us. I think that is why I got a sense of closure and peace.
Ren puts it into words so perfectly. The feeling of losing a friend to suicide is seriously hard to deal with, and the guilt of not being able to help them is the hardest part of it. This song makes me cry every time I hear it because it hits home so hard. I'm not sure I'll ever get past the 'what ifs'. He is such a word smith, and could quite easily be one of the greatest musicians out there at the moment.
You made great points. Ren is art made flesh. Having this video on the rooftop with nothing between him and Heaven, it's like he did that so Joe can have a front row seat.
Beautiful, heartfelt reaction both! Ren's pain and anguish in this is palpable and heartbreaking. If you read the notes below the video Ron says that he played this one for Joe's Mum and Dad when he returned to the UK from Calgary. It seems it was cathartic for all. I hope so. Ren is one of a kind. Thank you for doing reactions to his music. All the best from the UK
Ren is not just a singer or musician or artist years or three and so much more he is a storyteller, A mediaeval bard , a reincarnation of Shakespeare in modern times an actor, a wordsmith with lyrics, a director a producer a cinematographer and a genius. He is the embodiment of talent. I can’t even begin to tell you how many reaction videos I have watched with him. I’m a 51-year-old male army veteran in Australia and I love music of all kinds. I have been through very difficult times myself in the last 15 years having almost lost my life in Afghanistan after my vehicle hit a landmine breaking 64 bones splitting my head into puncturing almost all my internal organs and causing me to have four heart attack since. Being dosed up on medication that made me feel more dead than alive. I have spent the last five years ridding myself of these medications one of them was morphine which caused me to have another heart attack during withdrawals. The doctors didn’t tell me that just like alcoholics have seizures when they tried to quit opiate addicts have heart attacks. I have five children and four grandchildren that almost didn’t have a dad and grandfather. I’m 51 I’m not 90 and I have a very young 51 year old I love Star Wars and Harry Potter and the avengers and Superman and Lord of the rings and anime I’m essentially 16 year-old kid trapped in a 51-year-old body and feel like I’m 90. It’s not fair but life isn’t fair. Sometimes my pain has made me stronger more resilient and more determined to put 1 foot in front of the other and keep on soldering on, if not for myself my children I think of Suicide every day and every day I say no not for me before my family and I will continue to do that until the powers that Be take me. And until then I will keep on fighting. Thank you for your reaction. Lots of love from Australia. 🐦🔥PHOENIX 🐦🔥
He is an absolute genius. He manages to pull every emotion out of us all. I was crying from your su!cide reaction and I’m still crying now from this. Such a heartbreaking but beautiful tribute to Joe. And a wonderful emotional reaction from you both 🖤
Promise you both that if you don’t need a ‘minute’ after listening to REN then I don’t think we are open to receive and that’s okay. It’s obvious that you are open and willing to listen to give him a chance to share his heart and mind. I applaud you because it’s not easy but I think, for me at least, every minute has been worth it ❤️🩹 🏴 ✊
Ren is a Singer/Songwriter, Rapper, he plays Guitar, Bass, Piano, Drums and Beatboxes proficiently, Produces his own beats, Actor, Director, Storyteller, & Poet + HE IS SELF TAUGHT in EVERYTHING.
Ren is an artistic genius! "Suicide" is a must watch for anyone who is contemplating suicide. The first part in their own view, he second part shows what that does to people left behind. "For Joe" adds to the second part of "Suicide", which describes the first four stages of grief, a part that describes "acceptance" and brings closure for everyone involved, especially considering that Joe's mon sobbingly hugged Ren after he showed her this video. The whole surrounding including raising 21,000 pound for the RNLI and giving Joe's parents 50% of the proceedings from "Freckled Angles" which they used to buy a campervan for what they were saving for is genius!
Wonderful reaction guys! I cry every time I watch this one, and I can not begin to count the number I times I have. Please keep the great reactions coming.
Beautiful reaction! Here are a few songs that are bar heavy to give you a breather from the last two vids - The Hunger and Losing It. What you Want is also a fun song (his homage to the Beastie Boys. It’s so brave of Ren to put his life on display through his music whether it’s beautiful or tragic. I think it’s important to listen to all sides of Ren.
Fabulous reaction. I love how Ren's music and message are universal. You two are beautiful souls who truly appreciate real talent, especially when they are expressing raw emotions. Much love to you both 🙏 xx
Ren is a musical genius. He's genuine, passionate, poetic and talented on so many levels. His performances are so engaging. Best of all he's a wonderful empathetic and selfless human being. Wish him good health and success. He's so deserving.
Its a beautiful tribute to Joe RIP by Ren! Beautiful lyrics, piano playing and Calgary City in the background make this so impactful! My sympathies to anyone who has lost someone❤
At the very last second of the song before it ends, you can hear clearly the pain and emotion in his voice I think he’s almost at the point of crying when he ends the song. It would not surprise me if this took several attempts to do it in one take, I can almost imagine him breaking down multiple times singing this. I have seen peoples say on his videos oh my god I don’t know how you did this without losing your shit but the fact is singers and songwriters lose their shit all the time they break down in the middle of writing the lyrics because it means so much to them, artist like Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo have cried on stage to their own lyrics. Ren is no different.
his song Dominoes is great. Freckled angels is great too, for something more upbeat Humble. Penitence is great, ok seriously everything is pretty freaking good. seriously
Thank you for your sensitive reaction to this. I've listened to this many times. Today for the first time it occurred to me that the repetition of the passage at the beginning of this, from suicide, is also a classic way minds work. We repeat, over and over again, word for word, the painful passages of our lives. Here he made that mental habit manifest.
This song is a final version of many part of other songs he made for his friend Joe. Very beautiful and sad in a live version. If you have not yet see this video the live (with crowd) of the Story of Jenny & Screech in full 360, we can move the camera : Ren - The Tale of Jenny and Screech (Full 360 Live Performance) : ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-S_hs8EkWeZg.html
Beautiful reaction both of you. Previous song was dark this performance is light - sad with Ren dealing with grief be healing even if Ren continues to deal with grief. If you watch the Knox interview Ren intellectually and logically knows there wasn’t anything he could have done that night but emotionally is another thing… the empty cup. But notice there is a bottle of light (lights) to fill the empty cup. The previous produced video was dark and filled with pain and frustration. This starts with that pain but continues with what Joe and all his actions has taught and given Ren. That bottle of light to fill the empty cup. Not only a crafted masterpiece but preformed extremely well with the help from Sam.
Hope you guys are well and hope you can react to Rens Tales of Jenny Screech and Violet soon it’s a 3 part series to be watch all together - amazing and will be in you top 3 Ren tunes
When you said you wanted to just give him a hug I felt the same way at the end of both songs. If you haven't already you'll really appreciate How To Be Me, Chalk Outlines and The Tale Of Jenny & Screech (& Violet's Tale).
Yes, the lyrics at the start of this are from the end of the sing "Suicide". The lyrics at the end of this song are from the song "Freckled Angels" - the sing he wrote and sang at Joe's memorial. He mashed them together and added some in the middle to make it a cohesive single song.
Beautiful Reaction ❤, you should be very proud. For your next reaction, try “Crutch” featuring Bibi. It was recorded at the Height of Rens struggle with his mental health. It is one of his personal favourites, just Beautiful.
I keep begging for you 2 to do Ren & Chinchilla live versions of Chalk Outlines & How to be me. It will show just how Ren is a genre bender maybe like the world has ever seen. Please 🙏 please 🙏 do Chalk outlines live.
You guys really need to hear "Ren X Chinchilla - How to be Me (live)" which is also kinda about Joe, performed symbolically on a bridge (not *the* bridge though). It's also beautiful and haunting and so deep.
I always say Ren makes music for adults and I think he is so good at it because he's actually served his apprenticeship, not only in music but in life aswel. He isn't some bubbled kid that thinks they know it all n thinks they have the right to tell "normal" everyday working people people what they should think or believe.
Promise you both that if you don’t need a ‘minute’ after listening to REN then I don’t think we are open to receive and that’s okay. It’s obvious that you are open and willing to listen to give him a chance to share his heart and mind. I applaud you because it’s not easy but I think, for me at least, every minute has been worth it ❤️🩹 🏴 ✊
