Modern Oli has released the video for his third single, “Don’t Let Me Love You”, marking a decisive tonal shift from the breezy indie pop of earlier tracks “One Of Those Faces and Transatlantic”.
The latest single trades polish for emotional exposure, positioning the Bridgerton actor-turned-artist Oli Higginson as a serious contender in the alternative pop space.
Written as a reflection on relationships unraveling into infidelity, numbness and self-destruction, the track carries a stark emotional core. Another striking takeaway is how the restraint in the verses makes the eventual swell feel earned, not engineered. At its best, the song sounds like a private confession you were never meant to hear.
The recording process mirrors that intimacy. Initially tracked with a full band at Snap Studios, Higginson scrapped the early version in favor of a stripped-back home recording using only acoustic guitar and a laptop mic. That fragile demo now anchors the opening stretch before the track expands into a fuller, cinematic crescendo. A haunting cello performance by Geraint Downing, especially its abrasive opening scrape, sets an unsettling emotional tone.
The accompanying video, directed by Misha Citron and starring Emma Naomi, traces the quiet transformation that follows love’s decline, offering a visual counterpoint to the song’s emotional unraveling.
With a headline show set at Oslo Hackney on September 18 and a Paris Fashion Week performance at SuperSonic Records, Modern Oli’s momentum continues to build, backed by early support from BBC Radio 1 and BBC London.
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