Premiere: Mj Winn Confronts “Heartache” From Dual, Yet Equally Gripping Angles
The true villainy of “Heartache” lies in its unpredictability: it never stings the same way twice. One day, your stomach caves in, stealing away the space where butterflies once stirred excitement. The next, your mind becomes overwhelmed with an avalanche of thoughts and feelings, heartlessly reflecting the rush of endorphins that once accompanied a first kiss or a long-awaited embrace. If it were the same pang every day, the same stab each moment, we could adjust. We could manage. We could cope, adapt, and then hopefully, overcome. But that’s not what it does, something too many reading this know all too well. It assaults us from every direction until our emotional well is drained, leaving a place where apathy, malaise, and animosity bubble up to form a state of complete desolation.
Art undeniably offers solace–whether it’s through escapism, healing, distraction, or even closure. Yet, that comfort can often feel incomplete, presenting heartache through a singular lens and leaving some parts of the story untold. While it may soothe or soften the blow, it rarely captures the full, evolving nature of pain, leaving certain truths hidden. Sometimes, we need both the quiet catharsis of a tender ballad and the invigorating energy of a high-octane track, one for when you’re stuck in the depths and the other for when you’re simply trying to push forward. For some, the healing process calls for something extra, like a punk rendition of “I Will Always Love You” that reimagines Whitney Houston’s timeless classic, allowing her words to resonate anew in a fresh context.
This concept drives the dual nature of “Heartache,” the debut single from verdant Richmond musician Mj Winn. Vivid and adventurous in one version, yet tender and introspective in the other, it’s a release that captures the complexity of emotion, offering both catharsis and contemplation in equal measure. In the first listen, we get the grand alt-pop treatment, with electronica swirling around to elevate everything into the heavens. In the following, the intention is grounded, still swirling but with the ethers condensed into melodic vapor almost, clinging with a subdued pain and a hazy shadow of despair. Set for release on Friday, March 7, The Auricular is excited to premiere both tracks today, with an exclusive stream below as well as further analysis into its dual resonance.
“Heartache” approaches its namesake from a place of genuine, weary struggle–not apathy, but a drained longing after the weight of pain becomes almost unbearable: “Can I just say, my heart’s not in it today?\ Can I just know my head’s too slow\ To pick up the pieces\ From where I left off.” The lyrics capture the honest struggle heartache brings, filled with reluctant detachment (“Maybe I’ll try, I’ll try to make you stay away“) and small, biting observations (“Just the warmth like the grin you don’t use”). Melodic lifts punctuate each moment of reflection, with the voice carrying the burden of pain as it strives to move forward, head held high despite the urge to look down.
The first version portrays the song within an electropop aesthetic, where the expression feels more direct and cathartic–like a final pep talk before emerging from the darkness. The second, an acoustic version, strips away the gloss and urgency, allowing the rawness of the emotions to breathe, where the voice feels more fragile, hesitating with every step, yet still pushing through the weight of the heartache. Melodically, each version leaves a lasting impression well beyond its modest runtime. The bubbling tones of the electropop version fill the background of your day with effortless energy, while the dreamy, whisper-like quality of the acoustic version lingers softly, like a faint echo of tragedy that quietly drifts through your thoughts.
Highlighting one version over the other misses the point, as this single release captures both sides of emerging heartache. On one hand, your stride is fortified, offering a sense of resolve and momentum, while on the other, the persistent ache of pain remains, quietly present, reminding you that healing is never as simple as moving on. Mj Winn is impressive throughout, not only for envisioning both distinct versions but also for his hands-on involvement in the production and recording process, working alongside Eric Orentas to craft such a layered, compelling experience.
The final product is a single that carries more emotional weight than most full albums, offering a rare tenderness and understanding for a pain that often strips us of empathy, leaving us numb before we can even process it. Both tracks are infused with a range of emotions–subtle, fractured, and raw–even beneath the polished production that Orentas and Winn masterfully create. This release serves as a powerful snapshot of how heartache strikes from every direction, reminding us that we must be prepared to face it from all sides in order to truly heal and move forward.
“Heartache” is out on all streaming platforms on Friday, March 7, which you can pre-save by clicking here. To stay up-to-date with Mj Winn, make sure to follow him on social media.
