Following the release of his acclaimed fourth album, Plz Stay, bb, last month, Ciaran Lavery has shared the Bojack Horseman-inspired animated music video for his latest single, 'Bella Union'.

The Co. Antrim artist's new album was born out of a period of prolonged personal turmoil.

"I came out the other side feeling quite raw and a little bit empty," he says. "I was like a dish cloth that had been completely wrung out. I really lost my way, and I began writing as I was beginning to look at myself and figure out who the fuck that was in front of me. I kind of had a full breakdown and it felt like the start of the end, because I didn't really know where I was going."

Loaded with the trademark tongue-in-cheek humour that runs throughout Plz Stay, bb, the latest single is an obvious reference to iconic record label Bella Union, and explores the uncertainty that comes with trying to sign a record deal as an independent artist.

Ciaran describes the accompanying video as "essentially a groundhog day scenario".

"This video shows a very crude life cycle of the musician," he continues. "In this case, the character is someone who strives for the success, working independently to begin with, and then ultimately struggles with the pressures & control while appeasing others. It is a desperate tale.”

Take a look at the video for 'Bella Union', and stream Plz Stay, bb, below:

Ciaran Lavery plays the Hot Press Lockdown Sessions' Y&E Series, supported by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, on Wednesday, July 15 – streaming live on the Hot Press Instagram at 7.30pm.