KILL, THE ICON! “Heavy Heart”

KILL, THE ICON! is the synth-punk passion project from London-based doctor Nishant Joshi. Joshi made national headlines during the pandemic, being the first frontline NHS doctor to go public with concerns that staff were not being protected. In true punk rock style Joshi and his wife then launched a legal challenge against the government. They won the case, making huge change and were recognized by The FA and England’s football team. Fueled with frustration, in the summer of 2020 KILL, THE ICON! was born as an extension of Joshi’s activism.

‘Heavy Heart’ is the second single from KILL, THE ICON!’s upcoming debut EP ‘Your Anger Is Rational’. This kitschy punk anthem plays on the more serious themes of racism, whilst remaining surprisingly catchy. Injected with disco drums and glam-rock synths, KILL, THE ICON! have crafted an anthem that is equal parts playful and cathartic. Speaking about his inspiration behind the track, Joshi states:

‘I was faced with racial slurs when I was younger, but nobody has uttered a racial epithet to my face for many years. But, I know the racists who existed in the 90s are still alive and well. They didn’t die out all of a sudden, and neither did their ideas. So, the point of this song is that everyone acknowledges that racists exist. But nobody will ever admit to being racist – so where did they all go? My answer is that they all wear disguises: as politicians, right-wing journalists, and talking heads for shady think-tanks. The brazen racism has retreated into the shadows, and subtle racism has taken over.

Heavy Heart is a sardonic call-to-arms for racists: say it loud, say it proud. Come out of the shadows, and into the light once again where we can all see you. Subtle racism is a true scourge of our times, because it’s impossible to point your finger at any given incident. It then makes you doubt your entire worldview, because you’ve not closed that feedback loop. So there’s a generation of PoC living in marginalized communities in the UK who haven’t been called a racial epithet, yet still they can detect rooms where something just feels off. Heavy Heart explores why that may be.’

The neo-noir artwork for ‘Heavy Heart’ is inspired by the opening scene from film American History X. Joshi also included a spoken word quotation from the movie, as he believes the words are ‘a reflection on how one can emerge from the depths of racism through critical thinking.’

KILL, THE ICON!’s protest punk has been supported by the likes of John Kennedy on Radio X and has been an instant hit on alt blogs like The Zine and God Is In The TV. Their debut EP ‘ ‘Your Anger Is Rational’ is due for release with Blaggers Records on the 2nd June.

KILL, THE ICON! are: