Vân Scott has never shied away from vulnerability, but with his latest single, Turn Off the Tears, the Los Angeles-based artist turns pain into light with striking honesty. Written with producer Bede Benjamin-Korporaal, the track takes a deeply personal story –his sister’s long battle with the aftermath of multiple concussions–, and transforms it into an anthem of resilience.
The song opens in darkness, painting the weight of isolation and doubt. Yet as the chorus breaks through, Scott flips despair into hope: “Stop running from the fear, start living in the light.” That emotional shift is matched sonically, with his soaring vocals riding over shimmering synths and a pulsing rhythm that feels designed for release. Part of what makes Turn Off the Tears so powerful is how it reclaims a phrase from childhood. Once a dismissive scolding meant to silence crying kids in the back seat of a car, Scott reshapes it into a mantra of perseverance.
Rather than suppressing emotion, the song insists on moving through it, offering listeners both catharsis and encouragement. wanted. “I hope that the song and the story behind it will be an encouragement to others who are struggling in their day-to-day lives to keep fighting and to never give up hope,” he adds.
Known for lending his voice to film and TV soundtracks from La La Land to The Simpsons, Scott has steadily built his identity as a solo artist with a talent for balancing melancholy and uplift. His debut album, Almost Gone, introduced his sharp songwriting, while 2024’s Songs I Never Wrote (because they would’ve been about you) explored heartbreak with disarming honesty. Turn Off the Tears pushes further into that personal territory, setting the stage for his upcoming third album, currently under the working title Those Closest. With this track, Vân Scott proves again that music can be more than sound; it can be a lifeline.