
We Three strongly advocates for full disclosure with family and friends.
The McMinnville, Oregon pop-rock sibling trio of Manny Humlie (guitar, vocals), Bethany Blanchard (bass, vocals) and Joshua Humlie (keys, drums, vocals) boldly eradicates internal barriers of shame and guilt on their revelatory new single, “Secrets,” via Palawan Productions.
“This year made you have to understand yourself. It didn’t give you a choice but to tell those secrets. There was almost no way around it; it needs to be normalized sharing these really dark secrets that you want to keep covered,” said Mannie Humlie, who wrote the track in July.
“Why do we not share them? It’s because it’s not normalized, and it’s because you’re going to lose friends. You’re community’s gonna get smaller; you’re going to be made fun of, and you’re gonna be seen as an outcast.”
Backed by personal courage and sibling solidarity, We Three divulges the small steps people take to shroud their everyday struggles and true identities from others. A thick cloak of swirling synths, somber piano, soft drums, thoughtful bass and radiant electric guitars add a protective, emotional layer throughout “Secrets.”
In response, Manny Humlie cautiously admits, “Look I’m scared of it/So I’m wearing shirts that really don’t look good/But they cover it/Got a grey Nike/That doesn’t let them see that I’m staining it/It’s on the inner left side/Just below the number five, so it hides a bit/Keeps it secret.”
“We really need to normalize that it’s OK that your friend group gets smaller; that people stop talking to you, and that you just get a tight-knit group that wants you for you. I think the older that I get I’m realizing that’s just a part of life no matter what. I would rather share exactly who I am and have the people around me love me for that than to have to constantly be putting on faces,” said Manny Humlie.
Coincidentally, We Three beautifully conceals those faces in their exquisite video for “Secrets,” which features the band dressed in simple pastels while performing inside a lofty Portland, Oregon ballroom. A pack of masked dancers interprets the track’s melancholic mood through a series of slow, fluid movements. Each dance symbolizes individual worries from people aching to share their own truths.
“We wanted this concept of everybody being super put together, but it’s also kind of dead. Like even when you’re up there, it’s awkward and uncomfortable. It’s not real, and it’s lifeless. For the dark abyss part, there’s more life there even though it’s the sad portion of it,” said Manny Humlie.
For the “Secrets” video, We Three worked with director Derich Hartfeil and producer Lauren McKean in conjunction with Fortem Films. They also invited Marchant Ballet Company dancers to elegantly perform throughout it.
“That moment when they were all dancing, we got some B-roll. They were just doing their own thing, but it was so cool because they were interpreting it in their own way. As the music is pushing and pulling on the beats, there was one spot where they jumped into the chorus, and boom, they all hit it together in their own way. It was like these opposites coming together,” said Joshua Humlie.
Continue reading “Opening Up – We Three Uncovers Dark Truths on New ‘Secrets’ Single”