Electronic music producer juuku is joining forces with singer-songwriter Ryan Nealon on “save u,” a heart-shattering single pulled from the official ‘Lost In Dreams 2022’ festival compilation. 

By keeping his identity hidden behind closed doors, the anonymous artist juuku has been able to shape a public persona that has effectively become much larger than its creator. The reason being that he’s not afraid to broadcast his own battle with depression, in turn becoming a source of respite for those also trudging through the treacherous waters of mental health. His debut appearance on Lost In Dreams Records is a prime example of the type of honest conversation he’s hoping to spark through his artform, leaning on Los Angeles-based indie pop phenom Ryan Nealon to narrate the inner monologue of a person advocating the importance of practicing self-love. 

Embedded in words of wisdom, “save u” finds itself caught in the crossfire of a couple torn apart by codependency. Nealon croons over a pensive piano intro, as he attempts to disarm the loaded gun of a lover who would rather shift the blame than own up to the harsh reality that they might actually be the one in need of rescuing. As the captivating vocal delivery escalates from soft spoken to a full-on belt, juuku mirrors the intensity through cascading arpeggiations and thudding drum hits. Orchestral strings come in to help hammer home the suspense, leading back to the sobering realization that loving another person isn’t possible without loving oneself first and foremost. 

When asked about the meaning behind his latest creation, juuku opens up and speaks earnestly: “‘save u’ is a letter to myself, on one of my darkest days of depression—feels like I’ve been going through that a lot these days. I wanted to paint a picture of how dark it’s gotten and how much weight I’ve been feeling lately. But I also wanted to remind myself how far I’ve gotten and that I’m the only one that can bring me out of this darkness.”

juuku’s new single “save u,” featuring Ryan Nealon, is available on all platforms via Lost In Dreams Records.