Puma June Reclaims Her Power and Bodily Autonomy in New Music Video

Puma June has launched her latest music video 'My Body, My Problem'.

The video was directed by Sequoia Content’s Arden Grier, and made possible with the generous support of the MVP Project, a joint initiative of RBCxMusic and Prism Prize (administered by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television).

Up and coming artist Puma June releases her first single off her upcoming debut EP with a video that explores control, power and bodily autonomy. This song is about how her experience of being a woman is complex and nuanced. It is a reclamation of space for all parts of herself in a world that has tried to take that away from her.

The video takes you on a visual journey beginning with Puma June’s constraint - she’s caught in society’s expectations of her, trapped and disappearing. We explored this through wardrobe, choreography and simple, somewhat suffocating lighting setups. 

As the video unfolds, you will start to see Puma reclaiming some power over herself and her body. But by the end, she’s forced to ask who she was more controlled by: society or her own upholding's of society’s expectations of her. At what point does it become our own work to stop living under the control of others? At what point do we have to look at ourselves and unlearn everything we were taught? 

Puma June is a Toronto-based multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and producer. With an eclectic array of influences, June's fresh, soulful sound blends pop, funk, hip-hop, and R&B. June's feminist-laced song writing pushes unfiltered honesty and centres around regaining power in one's life, with a particular focus on women's/gender issues, familial trauma, and the battle of self-doubt as an artist. June released her first single, 'Lost Years' in November 2022, followed by four more self-produced singles and music videos throughout 2023 and the start of 2024. June is working on her debut EP, a home-recorded expression of vulnerability and strength, which is set to be released in fall 2024. Puma June is the embodiment of a self-made artist and is a rising voice in the Canadian pop/R&B scene.

Puma June wrote this song because she was sick of the never ending list of requirements society was asking of her - always being told to be sexier, but not slutty. To be feminine but not weak. To be strong but not angry. It’s a catchy pop song with blunt lyrics that are relevant across movements. Like any conversation about bodily autonomy, there is a clear intersection between feminism and LGBTQIA rights. Any conversation around a woman’s right to choose, is also an opportunity to fight for a Trans person's right to play sports, be seen, and just simply EXIST. The artist and director duo were excited to explore this intersectional fight and bring it visually to life. 

The hardest part of the shoot day was when Puma was dressed in heels and a corset. That’s just not her, it’s not what she would ever wear. There was a dark moment of light headedness, we were hours behind, and morale was low. We (Puma June and director Arden Grier) had a moment together and realised it was kind of meta -  we became so explicitly aware that putting her in this outfit was upholding all the things the song and video were about. The outfit made it hard for her to do her job, and made her feel insecure and inferior… and the self awareness we gained in that moment made us laugh.