Watch a Relationship Crumble in the Video for Tems’ “Boy O Boy”

Tems’ commitment to forthright expression is undeniable. “Boy O Boy,” an acoustic ballad off her Grammy-nominated debut album, Born in the Wild, expresses rancorous sentiments about a partner who’s “a pain in my brain.” It’s a biting track, filled with unsparing thoughts of ill wishes towards the person who’s done her dirty and made their relationship a toxic waste ground.

The new music video for “Boy O Boy” is a cinematic portrayal of a romantic situation crumbling. The stunning black-and-white set of visuals, written by the Nigerian pop star, shows her (literally) carrying out the man who has exhausted her. In between, the walls crack, she imagines blowing off his head with a gun while they’re on a date and her candor alternates between irritated annoyance and plain tiredness.

The video ends with Tems dropping the man’s body, still asleep, out on the road – perhaps a metaphor for returning him to the streets.

The release of this video on Valentine’s Day is intriguing at a time when colleagues like Rema, Adekunle Gold, and Ayra Starr have released sweetly-scented love singles. At least there’s something for those who are anti-Valentine.

The new video continues the momentum of Born in the Wild, less than two weeks after she won her second Grammy. Earlier this week, she joined the ownership group of San Diego FC, a football club making its debut in the U.S.’s Major League Soccer (MLS) later this month.