A month ago, Gareth Fernandez released his poppy single 'My Heartbreak Song', his first new song in two years. Now, the track has a video, and though it is heartbreaking, it certainly isn't in the way you'd expect – particularly in the days lead up to a saccharine event like Valentine's Day.

The video, directed by Clare Chong of Hei Studio (who has also helmed music videos for Sam Rui, Bennett Bay and Subsonic Eye), follows the character Mei (played by Lim Shi An) who works in a brothel and has been coerced into a life of sex work. Mei is tasked with pleasing clients, including the Birthday Boy (played by Fernandez) – but things, thankfully, don't turn out as they always do for Mei.

Fernandez and Chong both agreed that given the straightforward lyrics of 'My Heatbreak Song', its video had to be different.

"When Clare first pitched the concept to me, I was quite shell-shocked because my own ideas all fell within the usual stereotypical constraints," Fernandez told Bandwagon. "However, the moment she showed me her mood boards, I was sold, and I let her have creative autonomy."

As Fernandez put it, the video for 'My Heartbreak Song' shows "a different, grittier side of Singapore, and finding love/friendship in a hopeless place."

Watch Gareth Fernandez's video for 'My Heartbreak Song':