Tegan and Sara Try On the ‘Boyfriend’ Role, Cardboard Suits in New Video

Are we friends, or are we more? It's an irritating question that persists toward the start of most relationships, but in the video for Tegan and Sara's latest, "Boyfriend," there's an extra layer of confusion to contend with.

"Boyfriend," the first single from the forthcoming Love You to Death, finds the twin sisters navigating a winding path with ostensibly straight female acquaintances — in some ways, the parties in question act romantically; in other ways, they're exclusively platonic. In the video above, the push and pull is metaphorized through a needy set director played by Rachel Antonoff, who tries to work Tegan and Sara into different decorative schemes — a safari backdrop, cardboard shirt-and-pants costumes. Try as she might, though, she can't decide quite where to put them.

"You treat me like your boyfriend / And trust me like a, like a very best friend / Kiss me like your boyfriend / Call me up, like you want your best friend," the sisters sing as they pose in front of industrial fans and share sets with dogs and giant balloon arrangements.

On April 20, Sara Quin told Time she had misgivings about releasing "Boyfriend" out of fear it could alienate non-queer audiences. Ultimately, though, she and her sister decided to push forward, sure the message was universal enough for anyone who's been unsure about a date.

"I’ve had a lot of nervousness with 'Boyfriend' as a single, because I hate the idea that it’s only for gay people," Quin said. "But I also think it’s the most digestible, accessible, conventional part of any relationship: the insecurity that every person has where you just want someone to stand up and declare that they’re with you. We all go through that. I was singing about who had yet to declare that she wanted to be in a relationship with me exclusively."

Watch the video above, and hang tight for the release of Love You to Death on June 3.

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