On Friday, singer-songwriter Sean Sroka (aka Ten Kills the Pack) will release his moving new single "Theo." 

But fans are getting an early listen of the emotional new track, which is premiering today on Variance. The song is a truly special release from the Canadian act, one that is said to have been crafted over the span of seven years.

The riveting cut, which plays succinctly like that of an intimate diary entry, actually takes its inspiration from an outside perspective, as Sroka is a lifelong admirer of the artist Vincent van Gogh and found direct influence through a book of letters between the artist and his brother Theo. On the gripping track, Sroka embodies the tortured soul of the painter as he shares his most inner most thoughts with his sibling. It makes for a beautiful and evocative moment.

“Overall, I'm just happy for this one to be out because it was just so laborious and something I really strived for and wanted to feel totally opposite to that," Sroka tells Variance of the new song. "This was a brand-new exercise in writing for me because it's someone's biography. Someone else's life. Their journey; read, re-read, noted, then rewritten by myself a few times to fit into a few minutes, and then translated poetically. It's completely factual but it also needs to artistically represent and coincide with the work of this person, using writing tricks as tools the way one would use charcoal, a palette knife or a brush, all while still presenting its narrative. I'm proud of it and will also never do it again haha."

He adds: "I think there are a lot of clever moments that have come out of this for me but mainly, the story just feels personal and one I know many, many, many artists parallel to as well. It's hard, it's tough, we're scared we won't succeed and we're thankful for the people around us who think that we might.” 

The new track follows previously released songs “Still Up Late,” “Curbside Panic Attack” and “Honestly, Fuck You,” coming from Ten Kill the Pack’s new project Thank You For Trying: ACT I, which is out Sept. 16 via Nettwerk.