Storytellers React To Hi Ren and Have Deep Dive Discussion and Analysis

[@TanyaQueen182]

There are 2 times in a person's life. Before they watch Hi Ren, and after. ❤

[@PomadeJam]

True!

[@tzolkinlady]

Facts ❤

[@Lynxeye-Youtube]

Amen!

[@darlinesly9364]

Hi REN is special because for most of us it was our first intro to Ren. We’ve never looked back. Ren has captured us with his greatness.

[@LiannaBabeli]

Hello and welcome to the RENiverse, Sean and Bryan. Let me introduce you to... Ren Gill, he is a 34 year old Welsh native (Wales from the United Kingdom, specifically from the Island of Anglesey off the northwestern coast of Wales) and currently resides in Brighton, England (a southern English Channel beach town with an insanely active busking [live street performing] scene). He has been performing since he was 12 years old. He is entirely self-trained. He speaks native Welsh, English, French, and I do believe a bit of Italian, IIRC? He is exceptional at the guitar, piano, and vocalisation. He is a totally independent artist who has no record label to represent him or, more importantly, control him. He is a rapper, a multi-instrumentalist, a producer, a singer-songwriter, a composer, and truly the definition of genre-less. He can do any genre, produce any sound or beat, and he can do it all for nothing. No song is like another, no beat is the same, no way to judge anything based on what each song is. Again, it must be repeated: he is SELF-trained and has had very little formal training for his music or productions. Everything Ren does is intentional. Every aspect of every piece is thoroughly scrutinized, studied, considered, composed, and dismantled before anything comes out and that perfection comes through during recording or filming. He is a Master of live one takes and his team is one of the best in the world, despite how small, even tiny or non-existent, his budgets are. Almost all the money he makes either goes to his ongoing Lyme Disease treatments (of which his medications cost literally thousands of quids/dollars) or to the projects he has in mind. I will state that Ren is not religious. He is spiritually agnostic, though does come from a Catholic background. He considers religion important to at least acknowledge and utilise as part of his imagery because of its representation within humanity. Ren is a funny guy. There is humour in literally everything he makes, even his most serious pieces. Keep that in mind. He looks at life like a glass half full, not half empty. At the age of 19, he contracted Lyme Disease from a tick bite he received while on a trip with his friends. He was misdiagnosed with depression, bipolar disorder, and chronic fatigue syndrome, which led to severe psychosis, for several years until he was properly diagnosed by a Swiss physician. Due to not receiving the appropriate treatment for Lyme Disease within the very short time frame after contraction, the disease has ravaged his body and mind, causing permanent brain damage, severe issues with digestion, sleep, nerves, and various other health problems. It caused him horrendous, chronic, violent pain to the point of being bedridden for years. Music is the reason he has survived. He had originally signed to Sony Records prior to contracting the disease, then when his condition became severe, he lapsed in his ability to complete his contract and both Sony and Ren agreed to end his contract. He has been independent ever since. I'd like to provide some cultural context for this artist from another extremely talented artist: This is what the Irish folk rock artist Sinead O’Connor posted on social media after watching Hi Ren: “Holy motherfuckin SHIT! Someone just showed me this at the weekend. This Archangel from like, twelfth heaven or somewhere, has only gone and made the entire history of songwriting and performing look like a three year old's birthday party at Burger King. Every song and or artist in history even Willie Dixon, Chuck Berry, The Beatles, NWA, Ice Cube, and even Bob Dylan, is officially relegated to class B. As are every actor in history or legend: living or dead, male or female. We all are now defunct." Posted on May 17th, 2023, 2 months before self-deletion in July 2023. Another massive compliment to Ren was when Andrew Lloyd Webber, one of the most creative minds of the last 200 years, finally saw Money Game Part 3 and stated on Instagram: "@RenMakesMusic is one of the most unique songwriters and storytellers I've seen in recent times. Hope to see this album at number one -ALW" Several other massive creatives have expressed their appreciation, experiences, and joy for Ren's music: Tom Hardy (major hollywood actor and one of Ren's favorite actors), Robbie Williams (fellow musician and Brit), Simon Jones (fellow musician and bassist for the Verve), Russell Crowe (major hollywood actor and an impassioned activist like Ren), Amanda Palmer (major hollywood actress). I recommend watching Sick Boi, Troubles, and the 'Chapters' from his RenMakesStuff (BTS channel for Ren) for a much deeper comprehension of his journey. Hi Ren was recorded live in the basement of an apartment building in Brighton, England. It was literally a crew of five people, cost 50 quid (~$62) to make, and the audio is entirely one take. The video is spliced across four one takes. It is recorded live with a lavalier lapel microphone, a portable guitar amp and recording device, three cameras, and Ren's laptop. He rehearsed this piece literally thousands of times before he even recorded the music video to provide certainty that he would get the guitar notes perfectly and his delivery as perfect as possible. This piece is a very personal one for Ren and was the first time in his musicianship to properly acknowledge his ailment, his journey, and his issues musically. He has hinted at it in all of his previous works prior to it, but this was the first time it was out in the open, purposefully. The 'Pig' from the beginning is an essential symbol in the RENiverse and appears in many, if not most, of his other music videos and media. It represents the corrupted and abused systems of the world that take and take and take and never give back to the people they are supposed to support: medicine, music, finances, trade, commerce, government, etc… There are actually four characters in this piece: the yodeller at the beginning and end (representing a call to aspirations), self (the calm and soft one on the 'right'), doubt (the 'evil' one on the 'left'), and hope (the one in the 'centre' near the end of the piece). The written poetry at the end of the piece is a very simplified summary of his real journey and represents his most primary belief system. Hi Ren is a continuation of Sick Boi, which is recorded live (though not a one take) in the same basement a few weeks prior to Hi Ren. It was also produced for practically no money and it represents his feelings on commoditization, greed, the healthcare industry, and the music industry in a generalised yet very specific manner. Hi Ren has received multiple nominations or wins for awards, has over 40 million views, and he has several million followers worldwide. He has other videos and songs with multiple awards, especially Money Game Part 3 of the Money Game trilogy, which has won several dozen awards. Ren had the #1 Album (Sick Boi) in the UK in 2024 and reached the Billboard Top 200, beating out Drake and Rick Astley, two of the biggest names in music, for nearly 3 weeks straight with virtually no airplay or any of the traditional methods of commercialised music. Just through sheer community and streaming, Ren beat out two of his inspirations in his home country. That's incredibly impressive. A fellow RENegade really summed up the experience of Ren in a, imo, perfect way. From KMac70-Rex on KZbin: "You are among the special ones whose life has been profoundly changed-there's no going back. While many reactors recognize Ren as a remarkable artist, for some, he’s just one of many they react to before moving on. But for others, Ren's music resonates on a much deeper, profoundly intimate level. His songs feel like conversations with a close friend-raw, honest, and cathartic. It’s this rare ability to touch the core of human experience that makes his artistry so impactful. Ren's willingness to bare his soul fosters an authentic connection, allowing us to relate to his music on a deeply personal level. Through his lyrics, he captures the nuances of life in ways that make us feel seen, understood, and, most importantly, not alone." There is life before Ren and then there is life after Ren. Welcome to your life after Ren. Have fun! Welcome to the RENegades and the RENiverse. Much peace and love to you. ^^

[@nancymunroe3672]

I love this piece!!! Thank you!!! The only thing I have to offer is Sic Boi hit number 1 in 2023.

[@PomadeJam]

thanks so much for all that backstory! What a fascinating human being. So glad to have discovered him.

[@PomadeJam]

Oooo, thanks for the info! And for the kind words!

[@johndugger1028]

Ren to me, is a book with a blank cover. Open the book and the pages transport you to a time, place and emotion of Rens choosing. I'm just an old fart, but Ren has touched and helped me these last couple years. God bless and keep Ren among us, we need him

[@PomadeJam]

Yes!

[@goodstuff1977]

The silence that comes after watching hi ren never gets old ……people either say WOW or nothing at all ….welcome to the awakening brothers

[@PomadeJam]

Indeed! thanks!

[@Lynxeye-Youtube]

I would add that at the beginning, the expression "I wasn't expecting that" also occurs with a terrifying frequency in those who react!

[@JoelMyaer]

Ren has reconfigured my mind for the better and REN-EWED my heart & soul by not only making me really hear music, but really feel music for the 1st time in my 54 years of life! Thank you for the great reaction! 😁

[@PomadeJam]

thanks for your comments, it's so awesome how his music has affected people.

[@Caketime2]

So many people miss it, but if you think about the room as his mind. It gets so chilling! On the left.It's broken down falling apart, holes in the walls Pieces of the ceiling on the floor. Just as chaotic as the negative ren. On his right side. He's starting to rebuild. the bricks are going up, He's taking the paint off the Wall. The light is brighter

[@PomadeJam]

Ohhhh, that's a great observation. Wow!

[@GaffneyInkwell]

Love this!

[@JeremyMckay-b7k]

Nah, the condition of the room is happenstance, because it is also used for Sick Boi and is the same there, unchanged. What is deliberate is that dark-Ren looks Left-direction, to his left, looking Left is associated with the sinister. Light-Ren looks to the right-side, toward the brighter of the two practical lights, and also toward the bright of the two edge-lights, or “back-lights”.

[@Caketime2]

@JeremyMckay-b7k but it is changed in sick boi if you look.

[@malabissoon3546]

I didn’t think I’d last a full hour and eight minutes, but it’s easy to be drawn in once you realise you’re in good company.

[@lisamarie79]

1:03:40 did you notice REN’s two shadows?! The intentionality and attention to every micro detail is astonishing.

[@PomadeJam]

Ooooo, that is good, wow, thanks for pointing that out. Such and incredible piece of work.

[@GaffneyInkwell]

Wow - nice detail. Good catch, lisamarie!

[@ScottyRosencrance-dq4pj]

Yes the shadows were very important!!

[@JeremyMckay-b7k]

That is natural result of using 2 edge-lights, which were needed given the subject switching direction. Not everything is message / intentional. I shoot music videos for a living, 30+ years experience. I also do not think the crucifix earring is any statement, Ren often wears it, and in same ear. That said, I do think Hi Ren about God.

[@Musiklife.9049]

@JeremyMckay-b7kHe took the earring out because he was getting a lot of religious comments…I believe

[@analisasmith7927]

Thank you. A great, really interesting reaction/discussion. Ren having no agency at the start, for example - never thought about that! And the discussion about not walking off/away at the end (as well as the aside conversation about changing the colour of shadows) will stay with me. Being independent means he is rarely played on the radio and because of his health problems he cannot tour. So thank you for helping to spread the word.

[@PomadeJam]

thanks for the thoughtful comments!

[@MizCriz46]

He doesn't sit back down but begins pulling out wires so that you know this was live. He wants you to know that.

[@PomadeJam]

good point!

[@LaShayHaynes-t8f]

You would not believe how many times i have heard Hi ren! and i still love the deep dives !

[@PomadeJam]

Same! What an incredible work of art.

[@spruce381]

Feb 23 was my first time. Easily over 500, mostly reactions

[@spruce381]

You’ll be amazed when you hear his medieval troubadour style on violets tale. Great reaction ❤️👍🏽👍☘️

[@juliesmith7023]

Be sure to watch the trilogy of Jenny and screech of which Violet's tales is a part.

[@PomadeJam]

sounds awesome!

[@PomadeJam]

Will do!

[@kracine9582]

Next "The Tales of Jenny and Screech". It is actually a three-part story, you will love it.

[@PomadeJam]

adding to the list!

[@Dr.Brummel]

@@PomadeJam Make sure you do this version: 'The Tale of Jenny & Screech (Official Music Video)' kzbin.info/www/bejne/ioqkn6SHYpJ-jpI Or do them at least in the right order: Jenny, Screech, Violet

[@nickibridges2898]

The breakdown you guys gave was INCREDIBLE! Thank you both for an excellent reaction!! 💯🫶

[@PomadeJam]

thank you so much!!!

[@nancymunroe3672]

Thank you, gentlemen for this great reaction!!! I WILL be back!!!

[@PomadeJam]

thanks!

[@bonnieg4768]

Brilliant analysis! Thank you

[@PomadeJam]

thank you!

[@daphneparkin6869]

I'm absolutely loving this reaction, among the best I've watched. Your analysis is describing elements I would never have thought of and I've been following reactions to Hi Ren since June '23. Fascinating. Thank you ❤

[@PomadeJam]

thank you so much!

[@WintersLady]

This is an exceptional reaction. Looking forward to more with you gents. ❤

[@PomadeJam]

thank you!

[@donald1379]

Masterpiece....thanks guys❤❤

[@PomadeJam]

thank you!

[@margaretpickholtz8772]

I like the way you gentlemen go about you reaction, clearly you are paying attention to what you listen to

[@PomadeJam]

Thanks! We ramble a bit, but this stuff is so fascinating.

[@ArthurRex-x4m]

single most important piece of musical art ever !

[@PomadeJam]

It's hard to disagree.

[@sholynmonkey7890]

any message can have multiple lessons ,, the difference is the perspective from which it is viewed. and no persons perspective is identicle to any other.. but there is often overlap , common ground. true art speaks to that common ground

[@PomadeJam]

True art for sure.

[@MySnottyattaC]

A deep dive indeed, gentlemen! Thank you very much - that was a special reaction of "Hi Ren". I appriciated it a lot. 💚✌

[@PomadeJam]

thank you so much!

[@valeriedonaghy701]

Really enjoyed your thought provoking reaction, thank you ❤

[@PomadeJam]

thank you!

[@erichburger1935]

This mans music is unmatched. Ren is different his rabbit hole is the most inspiring musical journey. And the deeper you go the more your mind is blown. Great Breakdown!

[@PomadeJam]

Have to agree!

[@ScottyRosencrance-dq4pj]

Any KZbin channel tractor or any person who dives deep, agree. Or they really don’t understand music! And that’s ok It happens!

[@jeannewolfe4489]

Such a satisfying and rich reaction. Thank you both.

[@PomadeJam]

thank you!

[@seagull01-cp8pb]

People will be writing essays, dissertations and thesis on this piece in future and you guys will be referenced.💕👍🦇

[@nicolefagala3270]

Story tellers??? Have him watch the Tales!!! Hi Ren speaks on THE human condition. As an agnostic philosopher, this work has sparked multiple conversations within my cohort!! Truly a multifaceted artist who is a student of life. ❤

[@PomadeJam]

Agreed!

[@lisamarie79]

Really appreciated your thoughtfulness and insights! The intelligence and wisdom you bring to the conversation around this incredible piece has great value. Thank you for spending time on this!!

[@PomadeJam]

thank you!

[@T_Witti]

He doesn't go back into the chair because the guitar is blocking the chair. To me that represents that as long as he got his music, he doesn't need the chair

[@GaffneyInkwell]

Cool!

[@Dr.Brummel]

Ahh great, I like this interpretation 🙂❤🎸

[@PomadeJam]

oooo, that's good!

[@lulumeto]

What a great reaction to this masterpiece ❤

[@PomadeJam]

thanks!

[@shadowsources]

I’d love for them to react to the tale of Jenny and screech trilogy and/or the money game trilogy. They got an appetizer. It’s time for the main course.

[@PomadeJam]

will add to the list for sure.

[@Pitfight666]

"Thank you Ren" is the what we all got to after the roller coaster of emotions and thinking we went through after discovering his music. Great analysis and talk from your heart from you guys, thank you for this honest reaction !

[@aleciapalmisano5923]

Love your reactions. Love Ren so true how his music is something that can connect to everyone some way or another. Amazing artist ❤❤❤

[@PomadeJam]

thank you!

[@lulumeto]

If you want to see Ren when the devil takes over, watch Kujo Beat down. It's frightening intense.

[@PomadeJam]

will check that out

[@JoRiceRenegade4Eva]

@@PomadeJamplease be sure (in your own time) to watch his “prelude” post explaining the situation that lead to him creating “Kujo Beat Down” - it is contextually essential and sheds more light on the phenomenal human that is the gift of Ren. Much love from Tasmania Australia - utterly brilliant & affirming reaction & discussion 👏👏👏👏 thoroughly enjoyed it 😊❤

[@drtwinmom]

Great reaction.

[@bettyroyer4853]

His song Dominoes is very brilliant too

[@PomadeJam]

thanks!

[@Anuta6675]

Never consciously realised the lack of agency right at the start. This is why I love reactions, people putting words to my feelings.

[@PomadeJam]

thanks!

[@Bumperump]

WOW, this 65+ Canadian totally enjoyed your reaction, the depth, the understanding. I discovered Ren in Feb of 2020 during COVID lock down and, I haven't turned back, he IS a genius. The rabbit hole is deep, please continue to react to Ren, you will never be disappointed. The tale of Jenny and Screech & Violet's tale (a trilogy) hopefully is next on your list. It'll blow your socks off. Oh, by the way Subbed!!!

[@DS-zj4xy]

This is the single most thoughtful analysis of Hi Ren that I've seen, and I've seen at least 40. Looking forward to more.

[@PomadeJam]

Wow! Thanks, that's high praise! There's just so much to dig into with that song/video.

[@MissMeKate]

Wonderful discussion, thank you. 😊

[@PomadeJam]

thanks!

[@majbrat]

Subbed in hopes of more Ren. 😊😊😊

[@PomadeJam]

there will be more! Here's a playlist of other Ren reactions on the channel. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jWnHk2mHgNiVkLs

[@majbrat]

I see that. Will check out all.​@@PomadeJam

[@PomadeJam]

​@@majbrat awesome!

[@annatraustadottir4387]

Such a good reflections on the song.

[@PomadeJam]

thank you!

[@CBMindinho]

Great reaction! I'm curious to see how you will respond to "Seven Sins" or "Heretic."

[@PomadeJam]

great suggestions

[@anatolatonal]

Thank you both .. this was a really briliant and deep breakdown... we need more wise man Discovering the deep waters in witch ren is diving 🙏💚👻

[@PomadeJam]

thank you so much!

[@lizelledeoliveira8434]

Yes! I also think there is a 3rd Ren, the one that stands up. He is calmer and more mature.

[@PomadeJam]

yes!

[@JeremyMckay-b7k]

It drives me nuts how many come away thinking it only about mental health / internal struggle. You guys got the bigger theme, about spirituality and a Maker. Bravo.

[@caladonn2659]

I've noticed Ren likes to use Chromatic Scales to delineate Transits in Time, He also uses it in the 3rd act Violet's Tale in his Jenny and Screech Trilogy, and of course here it Delineates "Half his life being ill"

[@lizzpoulos7629]

For more Bardcore, check out the Tales of Jenny and Screech. That's an actual story telling marvel.

[@Dr.Brummel]

Hey Sean, hey Bryan, great analysis. Very deep, thank you👍❤ As a reward you will get a little text bomb from me😉: You talked about defining success. Check out Ren's video "ONE MILLION SUBSCRIBERS - Defining success". It's great. You already saw a lot of details in the video and others have already pointed some out. Here are a few more little things: - The video was planned as a one take (like a lot of his other videos), but they were thrown out be the landlord because they had no permission to film (they normally do guerrilla style filming). As a result AFAIK only the audio track is one take and the video is stitched together from four takes. - When the wheelchair is rolled in, you can see the letters "LD" on the back of it, which could stand for Lyme disease, the cause of his health problems. But it was actually just a coincidence. They found the wheelchair during the video shoot for The Hunger, as can be seen in the short BTS video for Hi Ren: The birth of Hi Ren. - Regarding the pig mask, Ren talks about the meaning of it in an interview with Zach Sang: "Ren Reveals The Meaning Behind The Pig Mask" - The title is shown in the font 'Impact'. Great Choice. - Interesting that he sings "Not your place to be biting off the hand that feeds ME (the dark side)." Not "That feeds YOU". - Great how he changes his voice and guitar playing as he switches between "good" and "evil." - Regarding the flickering light, when he accepts that both sides together form Ren ("we're a coin with two different sides") and he begins to dance and sing, it flickers again. Because Ren is both sides, even the "good" Ren needs his "bad" side in order to be himself. I always see this as the catharsis of the inner conflict. - I'm always impressed by how you can hear the increasing desperation of the 'good' Ren, because the 'bad' Ren always has a counter-argument. That's one of the insights of the song: you can't defeat your 'bad' side in a discussion. - The lines "Face to face with the beast, I will rise from the east...", are based on Revelation. - The dissonance at the end of the beasts part is achieved by using a tritone in the chord. An interval that's also known as the Devil's Interval. - Mistoffelees goes back to a poem by T.S.Eliot who was using it as a kind of contracted version of Mephistopheles, the incarnation of the devil in the play Dr. Faustus. Andrew Lloyd Webber later included the cat Mr. Mistoffelees in the musical Cats. - At the end, before he begins to speak, the harmony remains open because it is not the end of the song. He has done 'He Ren' live on stage as well (at least Live at KOKO and at The Secret Garden Party).

[@PomadeJam]

thanks for the text bomb! Wow, lots of great info and observations! Now the song and video are even more amazing.

[@Lemonbees]

More Sean pleased 😀

[@inatcacenco3006]

Я ждала эту реакцию, спасибо 😊

[@debmccudden242]

Carnt wait till they get to the tales 😊

[@PomadeJam]

it's on the list now!

[@zelenozubi]

🔥🏆

[@Suziejouk-zj6eo]

My brother sent me this song and asked me to listen and call him back...I said I can't decide if he is a genius or very poorly....he is poorly but mostly a genius ❤❤❤

[@perfectkismet]

Ren is the engineer, too 😅

[@NunYaO]

Are y'all twins?! Cause if you ain't, you're doppelgangers!

[@PomadeJam]

One of us is the real us.

[@pippavombr5856]

People want appreciaten about the work they do see that the efforts are acknowledged. Do I want positiv acknowledgment from people? Heck yes! Does it make me feel better? Fricking yes! Does it change my everyday life? Maybe! Will it change the world? I don't really think so! Do I feel not appreciated when no one takes notice about my work and ask myself why am I doing what I'm doing? F@ck yeah!

[@PomadeJam]

same

[@annikawallnyqvist3893]

❤️‍🔥🇸🇪

[@Justheretowatch298]

Can you do a reaction on the greatest story teller of all, Jerry Clower. He’s ridiculously good.

[@PomadeJam]

will check him out!

[@jenipherocious]

Please please please react to The Tales.

[@PomadeJam]

It has been added to the list!

[@jenipherocious]

@PomadeJam I can't wait to hear your take on it aa artists and story tellers. I won't spoil it for you, but I will say to buckle up because no one is ever really ready for the tales.