Pussy Riot Video, 'Panic Attack,' To Be Released As Four NFTs

'Panic Attack'

RUSSIAN protest art collective PUSSY RIOT revealed the official music video for their latest single, “Panic Attack," showing the band's NADYA TOLOKONNIKOVA in hologram form journeying through various virtual worlds.  

The video is one of the first from the band to explore themes of mental health, nature and the way we interact with both. “Panic Attack,” “Toxic” and “Sexist” are all available today on the band's new EP, "Panic Attack." The protest art group is turning 10 this year, and their debut studio album. "Rage," comes out later this year. 

"Panic Attack" is a first-hand account of a person struggling with life overwhelmed by anxiety disorder, produced by  GRAMMY-nominated CHRIS GREATTI (YUNGBLUD, POPPY) and KUDZU, a juxtaposition of a pop-rock emotional chorus and dark, heavy trap verses. 

TOLOKONNIKOVA said, "After serving two years in a labor camp, I'm still struggling with mental health issues. Trauma, fear and insecurity never fully go away, causing depression episodes and deep anxiety. 

"‘Panic Attack’ was born as the result of me staring at the wall for 24 hours in the middle of the pandemic, feeling 100% helpless. I was trying to write something uplifting to encourage people to get through the tough times. But I was just failing and failing. Magically, at the second I allowed myself to be honest and write about despair I was experiencing, I wrote the track in like a half an hour. 

"Depression is a plague of the 21st century, and it tells me that there's something broken in the way we treat each other. The video reflects on objectification of human beings, loneliness, disconnection from the environment that causes us to feel small and powerless. And it's us who caused it with our own hands - that's why in the end of the video I'm fighting with my own clone."

"Panic Attack" marks the first music video credit for director ASAD J. MALIK, a pioneer in AR storytelling known for festival standouts "Terminal 3" and "A Jester’s Tale."  PUSSY RIOT and MALIK first worked together when they released a hologram on his company JADU for the band’s song “Hangerz.” “Panic Attack” is the first time that JADU’s holograms are being used in a music video.

Following the release of the video on YOUTUBE, “Panic Attack” will be made available as a series of four Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) that were put up on FOUNTAIN to auction on SATURDAY.  Proceeds will go to fund PUSSY RIOT's art and the shelter for victims of domestic violence in RUSSIA. 

The video is premiering as part of the SKY ANY COLOUR online exhibition project by technical apparel brand ACRONYM.

"Panic Attack" comes on the heels of PUSSY RIOT's call to action “RAGE” as a part of their campaign for the release of all arrested for political reasons in RUSSIA in 2021. The band's MASHA ALEKHINA and LUCY SHTEIN, a queer couple, are currently being held separately under house arrest, facing two years in jail for supporting jailed PUTIN critic ALEXEY NAVALNY. 

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