Blackstate Talks New Single “#FollowMe”
The EDM standout ends the year with a fun satirical note on social media culture
Some artists, from the moment they start making music, know exactly where they belong and stay rooted there for life. Others are more like split-personality musicians—caught in the middle, torn between creative visions, breathing life into both. For two decades, Filip Tasevski-Fitz was fully immersed in the DIY hardcore and punk scene—relishing the rush of tearing up stages with North Macedonian punk powerhouse The Beginnings. But Tasevski-Fitz is a designer at heart, the kind of artist who thrives on experimentation, innovation, and upending expectations. A streak of existentialism runs through Blackstate: a limitless outlet and experimental project shaped by the Skopje underground, laced with gripping synthesizer textures, razor-sharp wit, and an uncanny knack for unearthing deep-dwelling demons. Now, with The Beginnings gearing up for a new chapter—one poised to take their notoriety to the next level—it only makes sense for Blackstate to double down on versatility and bring out the big guns. From here on out, every release promises to sharpen, refine, redefine, and electrify their daring signature style. Whatever comes next, it certainly won’t play by the rules.
At this point, it’s hardly a new revelation that people everywhere are irreversibly glued to their phones—but that doesn’t make it any less painful when Tasevski-Fitz holds up a mirror to the current state of reality. “#FollowMe” is an unapologetic jab at those no longer willing or able to engage with the “boring, boring reality” beyond the screen—a growing crowd of fame-hungry influencers and would-be social media sensations chasing glamour and glory online. Though the subject matter is equal parts cringe-inducing and spine-chilling, Tasevski-Fitz’s buoyant melody feels like stepping into a high-intensity video game, that split second when the enemies are just around the corner and adrenaline completely takes over. He gets straight into the headspace of those “losing it and losing out”—people more concerned with capturing the perfect selfie than having a real conversation. While it may seem like a sharp left turn, “#FollowMe” fits like a glove in Blackstate’s canon—a biting, delightful parody wrapped up in the refrain of a generation pixelated and digitized into oblivion.
Curating a dedicated social media following is a full-time job—and it takes a lot of behind-the-scenes effort to keep the illusion of a fun-filled, flawless existence from shattering. As Tasevski-Fitz steps into the role of one of these clout-chasers, anyone who spends time on social media will find the playful, over-dramatized scenarios in the “#FollowMe” music video eerily familiar—from the cleverly-angled livestream setups, to podcast rooms filled with propped-up mics and fake plants, to the loyal crews who dare not steal a single second in the spotlight. If these “influencers” are the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Tasevski-Fitz is the one pulling back the curtain, revealing just how absurd the modern media circus has become. But once the cheetah print fur coat goes on, he’s just another schmuck “living his best life,” so far untethered from reality, he might never come back.
What first pushed you to write “#FollowMe” and take it in such a playful, sharp direction?
Ever since I can remember, I’ve been observing society from the outside and constantly analyzing it. My punk roots helped turn that into criticism, and later I graduated in sociology and became an expert on the subject. Blackstate, from the very beginning (and the first single – “Wolves”) has been a view from above and an analysis of all modern social themes. If punk rock deals with classic social issues and topics, Blackstate deals with the modern version of absurdity and human stupidity. #FollowMe is yet another analysis of the present.
Coming from years in hardcore and punk, how does that part of you still shape what you do with Blackstate?
It’s absolutely the core of who I (still) am. The shape is changed, but the attitude is the same. Musically, I am on a different level for many years now, but the messages (which I still want to share) are more or less the same.
The track feels like jumping into a fast-paced video game—how did you build that energy in the music?
I think I got some of the inspiration for the beat while listening to Slowthai’s “Doorman”. That’s a lot more punk as a track, but generally, the tension is the same. This one is probably easier to “digest”.
When you stepped into the mindset of these online characters, what helped you get into their headspace?
We’ve been writing the script with my friend, who is the video’s DOP – Stefan Rajhl – for many months. I guess at the end, with the final results, we found the right characters to build the story… and I guess a lot of (doom) scrolling and researching on the topic helped in making the video… One movie that also inspired me was “Fake Famous (2021)”… then also some influencers online… the YouTuber Joey B… the “Idiocracy” movie, and probably some other movies/people, etc. (I cannot recall right now).
How did you find the balance between joking around and making a real point about online culture?
I think humor is one of the sharpest tools for telling the truth. Online culture today is already absurd – it practically jokes about itself – so instead of preaching or pointing fingers, I try to hold up a mirror and let people laugh first. When you laugh, you’re already halfway to understanding the point. The balance comes naturally: I start from a real observation or a frustration about how people behave online, and then I exaggerate it, twist it, turn it into satire. The joke is what brings people in, but the message is what stays with them after the song ends.In a way, Blackstate exists right in that tension – between entertainment and critique. If you can dance to it and then later think, ‘Wait, that’s actually about us…’, then the balance is right.”
The video is full of funny, over-the-top influencer setups—what was the most ridiculous scene to create or act out?
Oh, we had a lot of fun shooting the video. The first place for the most ridiculous scene was definitely the one with the influencer and the two girls in the yard with the chickens running around. I might release the original video one day, where we are laughing so hard that we cannot even focus on getting the scene done right… and the second place for the most ridiculous is me sitting on that toilet. We simply couldn’t stop laughing as well.
As a designer, how do your visual instincts influence the way Blackstate sounds and feels?
Blackstate is really all about all my different personas channeling through this alter ego… or whatever it is. I absolutely enjoy directing the videos, creating the sounds / the music, writing the lyrics, preparing/designing the visuals, and so on… It’s 100% me in mostly everything that you see/hear/feel from Blackstate.
With The Beginnings entering a new chapter, how are you juggling that world with your Blackstate evolution?
With my native band – The Beginnings (aka Noviot Pochetok) – we are hoping to open a new chapter in 2026 – that’s correct. Blackstate, on the other hand, is a story for itself. They are like two worlds / different channels for me and my expression. I feel that now, when I write a new melody, I already have in mind which of the two ways it might go. And I feel like two different people, I guess, operated by the same motor… the approach is similar, but the output is different.
What do you hope people think about, or laugh about, after hearing the song and watching the video?
I just recalled another inspo for the song and the video. It was Bo Burnham’s “Inside” movie. I watched that movie probably 8 times. It left me inspired each time I saw it, it left me amazed, and with just “wow”. Simply because the dude did everything in the movie by himself, it’s a lot to take in, and it leaves you with a “funny feeling” (If you haven’t – go watch that movie, made during COVID) about how things are and that we’re all part of everything. I think I would love to have a similar effect with the song/video.
Anything else you want to share with fans about what’s coming next?
Everything from Blackstate is quite different all the time, but in all the previous releases, there’s a touch of darkness. I think I’m done with the parody for now, and the upcoming stuff might be more intense… We’ll see.
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