John Duff fans the flames in his new track, “House on Fire”
BY LARRY OLSEN
John Duff’s latest single, “House on Fire,” is a breezy throwback track that seems to signify that romance is alive, however, in true John Duff fashion, there is a deeper message of concealed infatuation within. The singer dives into the song’s creepy subject matter in its chilling music video.
In an interview with THE FIGHT Duff talks about kismet, fairy tales and fantasies.
You wrote “House on Fire” about a man you went on a date with once that you fantasized was “the one.” What was it about him that intrigued you so much?
You know, the whole thing felt like some sort of kismet. I was at a friend’s wedding in Tennessee. I left early and while walking back to my hotel, I stopped in at a club I had heard of. Upon entering, I was immediately drawn to this person. He seemed familiar, but was no one I knew. We acknowledged each other with glances and stares, as homosexuals do. I was by myself, and he was with a group. Unsure if any of those people were with him, I did a lap. We made eyes again, but no contact. So, I went home. I may have looked at some apps to see if he would magically appear on a grid, but he didn’t. I woke up to a DM from him the day after. He had recognized me, but was too shy to approach me. We arranged to meet for dinner. I think when you meet someone on vacation, your walls come down a little faster. That’s why they always go to like Fiji on The Bachelor. We talked about our views, goals, and plans – and had everything in common. It was all aligned. But alas, I flew home the next day.
You never saw him again?
It was a geographic crisis. I think gunning for people who don’t live in an accessible vicinity is a sign of unavailability, at least that’s what my therapist says. So, though we texted and spoke for months, it was always compartmentalized as a fairy tale for me.
The video is pretty twisted.
For me, everything creatively starts with: “you know, I’ve never seen anyone do _____ before” or “I haven’t heard a song like ____ in a long time.” When I create, it’s always an attempt to fill a void. To paint with a palette that isn’t currently in use. The “House of Fire” video is a dramatic portrayal of a one-sided relationship. Essentially, this fairy tale guy was something of a prisoner in my mind; perhaps on his own volition, perhaps against his will. But who is the captive and who is the captor? Sure, the fantasy lived in my head but it also consumed me. So, as my production team and I began to treat the video, a lot unfolded and none of it was accidental. The antihero in the video, played by me, is more than meets the eye. To all of his viewers on the internet, he’s perfect. He lives in a bright and colorful world and teaches people how to fix things. He’s pretty. As we began to unpack this whole hostage thing, we realize it’s rather omnipresent. We’ve all kind of become unpaid-employees to the algorithm—and there is no end in sight.
The TikTok dance that you do in the video is super catchy! What has been the response from fans?
Ya know, I’m a little bit of a troll, and my longtime followers get that. The people that have responded, love it and they get it. Most of my followers haven’t acknowledge it though. They only like me when I’m naked.
John Duff’s “House on Fire” is available on Apple Music, Spotify, and all digital platforms. Its video is available on YouTube. Follow Duff on Facebook and Instagram @iamjohnduff.
