Fiona Apple’s new single, “Pretrial (Let Her Go Home)”, is a powerful and moving song that calls out the unjust bail system and the consequences it has on women in America. The song supported the Free Black Mamas DMV initiative, as Apple observed how many women are imprisoned before their trial because they cannot make bail. As a result, their families are torn apart and disrupted, even though in most cases the women are found innocent. Apple chants “There’s no more home,” emphasizing the destruction these events have on not only the women but the families they care for.

The music video stresses the message of the song as it becomes a compilation of different women who the system has wronged. Many of the photos are of these women with their families and in their communities. They are sweet portraits painting a full image of these innocent women. Later, these images get distorted with the women “glitching out” of the narrative.

“I was a court watcher for over two years. In that time, I took notes on thousands of bond hearings. Time and time again, I listened as people were taken away and put in jail, for no other reason than that they couldn’t afford to buy their way free. It was particularly hard to hear mothers and caretakers get taken away from the people who depend on them,” Apple said in a press release.

The instrumentals of the song are similar to Apple’s past releases, with rhythmic drum beats making the song feel like a marching band. Apple’s voice is strong and her iconic vocal range is prominent as she matches the ascention of the instrument sound with her voice.

The video concludes with statistics on the average income for these women who are put in jail and how often this happens. According to the video, every day, 60,000 women are put in jail even though they are presumed innocent. The last shot is a huge collage of all the portraits that were shown throughout the video. The organization Let Her Go Home was also linked in the video, directing viewers to donate or take action for the cause.

“Pretrial (Let Her Go Home)” is available to stream on all major platforms. The video is available to watch on YouTube.

Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat