Sun - The Lingering Memories Of A Love Now Gone
“You’re mine, you’re my sun…”
There's a quiet beauty in the act of reflection. Too often, we forget the value of remembering before reacting, especially when it comes to love and the people who have left lasting impressions on our lives. Looking back isn't always about reliving the past - sometimes it's simply about understanding it, appreciating what it gave us, and accepting what it took away.
Although reflection is often necessary to truly heal from heartbreak, it's rarely an easy process. Looking back doesn't just revive the cherished memories - it also serves as a painful reminder of what was once shared. In revisiting those moments, it's almost inevitable to wonder how something that once felt so meaningful and special, could have eventually come to an end.
kyabo's latest visual for "Sun" taken from their widely adored 2025 project “Feel*r”, captured those emotions with remarkable sensitivity. Directed by Scott Paton-Levin, the visual beautifully brought the love ballad to life, reimagining kyabo's heartfelt lyrics through intimate and emotionally resonant imagery.
As the song unpacks the vocalist's anxiety over losing the person they love most, the film amplified every feeling with grace, resulting in a moving portrayal of love, vulnerability, and the fear of letting go.
What made this visual particularly beautiful is the way its story was layered. The film opens with kyabo and their partner sharing a quiet, intimate moment in bed, simply existing in each other's presence as kyabo gently captures the scene on camera. The stillness of the sequence feels comforting, allowing the audience to settle into the warmth of their relationship.
Then, almost subtly, the mood shifts. We briefly see kyabo lying in bed alone - a subtle but powerful piece of foreshadowing that hints at the inevitable heartbreak to come before the narrative fully unfolds.
The visual continues by celebrating the moments that are truly worth remembering, following the two protagonists as they express their love through life's simplest gestures. They share a cigarette outside a convenience store, find solace in one another while wandering through open fields, and stand shivering together in a lake, keeping each other warm with nothing more than their bodies and the affection they share.
These are quiet, everyday moments, yet the film reminds us that it's often these small acts of connection that carry the greatest meaning in a loving relationship.
It's only towards the film's closing moments that we see kyabo lying silently in bed alone, their partner now gone. As they replay those cherished memories through the lens of their camcorder, the weight of their loss becomes impossible to ignore.
Each frame serves as a bittersweet reminder of a love that once brought them comfort, making the silence feel even more heartfelt. As the film gently fades into its white end credits, it concludes a deeply saddening visual experience that leaves viewers with a lingering sense of melancholy.
Scott Paton-Levin and Natasha Chirambo did an exceptional job behind the camera, delivering a visual that was as thoughtful as it is emotionally resonant. Every frame felt meticulously composed, with each shot serving the story rather than simply accompanying it.
The opening overhead shot of kyabo and their partner lying together in bed immediately established the film's intimacy, inviting viewers into their shared world with quiet elegance. Equally striking were the scenes by the lake, where the pair stood with half of their faces submerged beneath the water, staring directly into the lens. It's an unsettling yet beautiful image, that created a lingering sense of unease that subtly foreshadowed the emotional weight the film was building toward.
The sequences captured through the grainy lens of the camcorder were equally brilliant, adding another layer of emotional depth to the visual. The lo-fi texture gave these memories a nostalgic, almost fragile quality, making them feel like fleeting moments desperately preserved before they disappeared. It subtly instilled a sense of worry and longing, as though every recorded memory was all kyabo had left to hold onto, making the eventual heartbreak all the more devastating.
The lighting throughout the visual was nothing short of outstanding. Bathed in warm, radiant imagery, the film beautifully lived up to its title, "Sun", with natural light becoming a defining element of its visual language. Sunlight constantly poured over the protagonists, even during the intimate moments they shared in bed, wrapping them in a comforting warmth that mirrored the love at the heart of the story.
It's a deliberate creative choice that elevated the film's emotional impact, reinforcing both its tenderness and the bittersweet feeling of reminiscing on something that can no longer be held onto.
Hats off to Kyabo and everyone involved in bringing this remarkable visual to life. This was a beautiful reminder of the level of artistry that continues to thrive within South Africa's creative landscape. Films like this are exactly why VERVE remains so passionate about championing independent artists - because they prove that some of the country's most compelling stories are being told with immense care, vision, and heart.
Starring kyabo & Lelami Ngoqo
Directed by Scott Paton-Levin
Produced by Yabo Dyakopu & Scott Paton-Levin
Cinematography by Natasha Chirambo & Scott Paton-Levin
Production Design by Zainab Mkhabele
Costume Design by Thabang McCarthy
Production Assistance by Simamkele Mrwetyana
Grade + Edit by Scott Paton-Levin
Special thanks: Lufuno Damari Mandisa Gumbi & Jansen van Veuren Isaac Modise William-John Dixon Okarayonemma Opara Lunathi Kondlo Sovereign Angel Club
